My honor is my life
by Thawn716
Summary: Fire and water dance an endless waltz of love and hate throughout the history of the world. One hundred years after the start of the fire nation invasion the latest tale of this ageless story begins. Zutara, other ships to be decided.
1. Shadows of Past and Future

Alright first off to those who are just getting into this story. The first seven or so chapters are simply me going back and re-doing a story I started last year. To any returning readers the main differences between these chapters and the originals are that they are longer for one, the other difference is there were a few plot details I've thought up that necessitated a rewrite. This is because if I were to have just continued from where I left off and not changed the earlier chapters the story would have made no sense.

Also a few things for readers to know, this will be a zutara fic. I don't do Kataang, it doesn't make sense to me (as in to me it's childish). I also will not bring Jet back, he's dead and I like it that way. Other pairings I'm not sure about so I may be calling upon my readers to give me their opinions.

I prefer to have my stories features myths and old legends as I find it gives a greater sense of immersion and this one is no different.

To make it easier for you guys:

_italics is for thoughts_

**Bold is for stories/tales/myths**

this is normal talking.

"Touch eyes to screen for cheap laser surgery"-Futurama

* * *

"Alright Zuko it is your turn to pick a book" Ursa smiled softly as her son leafed through the bookshelf. Azula sat on a small couch next to the chair her mother was on drumming her fingers impatiently. Zuko meanwhile had selected a book from the shelf, it was a book of ancient legends that Ursa herself was quite fond of reading in her spare time. She watched as Zuko leafed through the chapters looking for something Ursa supposed that interested him. "Mom would you read this one?" Ursa reached down and took the book in order to see what Zuko had picked, to say that she was surprised is an understatement as she saw that Zuko had chosen one of the few myths that the Fire and Water shared. _Then again Zuko you always have been different ever since..._ "Alright honey take a seat next to your sister and I'll start." As Zuko sat down Ursa began to read.

**Some would have you believe that the water spirits Tui and La are mates but in fact they are twins, twins who are opposite in every way. Tui the moon was serene always rising and falling the same time every night, she would slowly go from full to empty then back again over the course of a few weeks. La on the other hand was everything her sister was not, she was fierce at one moment and placid the next. Though not greedy she happily accepted gifts from those who offered them for a safe voyage and often but not always would grant them passage unharmed. **

**Before the water spirits took up a physical form in this world the fire spirit Agni would often talk to La, she enjoyed his company though her sister would rebuke her for her erratic behavior Agni would say that it gave her a fierce edge and without it she would have been as dull as her sister. Of course La was mock outraged at having her twin insulted but inside she was ecstatic that the fire god thought highly of her.**

**As the years passed and the nations began to develop the fire and ocean spirit became closer. One day they slipped into the mortal world, both assuming the form of one of the people under their charge. Agni as a golden eyed firebender while La was in the form of a azure eyed waterbender, that night it is said that a child was born and from that child's descendants came the line of the fire lord.**

"But mom what happened between the fire spirit and the water spirit?" Zuko asked his golden eyes wide from the excitement of the story asked. "Ya mom what happened." Azula agreed from her spot next to her brother.

"Well the water spirit twins took physical form on this plane, but they took their place far away from the fire nation. Agni was furious about this, he felt betrayed and on that day he followed there example and took a physical form somewhere in the fire nation. Some say that he did this to send a message to La that he would never forgive some, yet some other argue that he did it to get as close as he could to her." Ursa paused momentarily, obviously thinking that maybe she should have left that part out and left the kids with a happy ending. "Alright it's time for bed you two go on."

"But Mom I'm not even tired." Azula tried her very best to seem as awake as possible as she said this but the yawn that escaped from her mouth betrayed her. "Enough of this you two go I'll put this back on the shelf and be with you soon."

"Alright Mom." Both the children said, obviously disappointed that they didn't get another story. Ursa only told them stories when Ozai was out of the palace and not even Azula would tell her father about it and risk losing out on them.

As Ursa sat the book on the shelf she remembered the rest of the tale. **It is said that the love and power of the mortal forms that the fire and ocean spirit live on today. They reincarnate much like the avatar eternally drawn to the other for better or for worse.**

Ursa sighed,_ If only my marriage was half as happy as that story. And it's meant to be a tragedy._

_

* * *

_Well just some minor changes to this chapter, I made it a little longer fixed some errors and fixed some plot to make it coincide with my new outline I have in my head.


	2. Mind's Eye

Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA (yes I know your shocked).

AN: This chapter had no real changes to it except for a handful or spelling errors and such.

"Char Aznable says let the purge begin" - Char Aznable (who would've guessed)

* * *

"You rise with the moon, I rise with the sun." Zuko spoke to the unconscious form of the water bender. _Why did I hit her so hard, she was unprepared. But she deserved it didn't she, yes she was in the way of my goal...of home, but then why was I so enraged. Could it be that I'm jealous of her? Is she just like Azula, yet another prodigy while I the lowly prince has to fight and stumble my way to become a master. _"What am I doing here talking to myself, I need to get out of here with the Avatar." He said this aloud more because he knew that at least outside his head there wasn't that little voice telling him what he was doing was wrong. _No thats Uncle, Zuko reminded himself._

_

* * *

_"Agni? Agni talk to me whats wrong? Come on you've never been like this to me, I don't care what the other spirits say. If we love each other what does it matter that we're opposing natures." The ocean called up to her mate, he had been in her opinion suspiciously quite today. La couldn't help but feel that it was because of how the other spirits treated their love, her sister chief among them. Always telling her that it was doomed to failure and that all she would get for it would be pain and heartache.

"No it's not the other spirits, but I look at these mortals. They die, and they know that they will die but they are happy, content in a way that we spirits never seem to accomplish. We spend out lives watching over our respective elements and people yet we never feel that happiness. The closest thing I have ever felt to what they feel is when I talk to you but I can't help but wonder what it would feel like to have been a mortal and been able to love you fully."

"Oh Agni, you make it out like all mortals are those who are good just and simply want happiness when we know that it's not so. Many of them are consumed with greed, malcontent, anger, petty jealousy. They kill each other and more often then not the one who lives does nothing to make you think that he should have lived."

"So you think that what they experience is not worth thinking about? Or are you just trying to convince yourself that you wouldn't want to experience by giving some examples of what is wrong about them."

_Damn you Agni, why do you always have to be so_ _smug_. "Agni we are spirits, what is the point in wondering what it's like to be mortal? It's not possible, and even if it were could either of us afford to give up our posts?"

"Are you afraid dearest? Or are you simply worried that if you were to do so then you would not want to return." At this the seas of the world began to churn La's anger evident in her very embodiment on the planet. "How dare you suggest that I would ever forsake my people, and what of you Agni the great "He of the eternal fire." Self styled egocentric who elevates himself above all other spirits who dwell in his realm. Do not think that the world would not notice the absence of the very thing that gives it life or would you allow your lust to overrule your own conscience?"

Now Agni's wrath began to flare, what had been a cloudy day was not illuminated as clear as it had been with no clouds at all. The sun burst forth with all it's might burning through clouds and purging the land in a brilliant sheen. "HOW DARE YOU LA, I ABOVE ALL OTHERS KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I FORSOOK MY DUTY. It was my forebear who nearly destroyed the world due to his negligence and I would not think of doing likewise."

"Then why dangle these idea's in front of me when both of us cannot give up our charges? Why give me dreams and dare I say hope that one day we could walk upon a beach if you only planned on doing nothing." La's anger was still evident in her voice but the seas had begun to calm a sure sign that she was cooling off.

"I don't plan on dong nothing. But what I suggest is that for one night we venture down to the mortal realm just for one night La. Even if it were just to walk in the sand with you then I would take the chance." The seas turned suddenly placid as quickly as they had become rough, "Agni you know that if we were to...consummate our relationship then a child would be born of it, it hasn't been done before in recent times but that is how the Avatar came to be, could we afford to take such a risk?"

"The child would be a child of both fire and water, it would take on the abilities of whatever land it was born in but because of our opposing natures the child would not be as powerful as say the avatar is."

"Agni, when would you want to do this?"_ I wonder what he looks like as a mortal, I wonder what I look like. What if I'm ugly, what if he takes advantage if I don't want to. If my sister finds out what will I say I would be dis- "_Tonight La, I would like to do it tonight. But only if you wish to." The seas turned flat as a piece of parchment as La was obviously wracked by the decision. "Yes Agni I will, but how will we do it?"

"Listen to me love this is how you do it..."

**That night**

Two figures appeared alone on a beach in the fire nation. The island would come to be known as ember island for from this place the first spark of the glorious dynasty of the fire lord was born. One figure was obviously of the water tribes, with her dark skin and blue eyes she stood in sharp contrast to her companion with his pale skin and golden eyes.

As they turned their attention to one another they felt the feelings that all mortals feel for those that they love with all their souls, but there was also a great sadness for they knew that they would never feel this again. "Agni, is that really you. Is this really me I can't believe how different everything feels." The water tribe woman took a tentative step forward, placing her arm on the fire nation man. "Kiss me." It was a mix of ordering and asking which came out of the womans lips but that was all that either of them needed as their lips met in a passionate embrace.

* * *

Katara groaned as she awoke lying in the ground next to the spirit oasis._ Where's Agni? Wait who is Agni?_ As Katara regained her senses suddenly she remembered all that happened "Aang?"

* * *

Well thats chapter two, yes it is also short but they get longer from here.


	3. Stricken

Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA (getting sick of writing this).

AN: If you care to read the author's note it is at the bottom. Anyways enjoy, not many changes but some substantial ones.

"When life gives you lemons, BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD."-Honestly can't remember where I saw this...

* * *

"Welcome back." Zuko said as the Avatar began to struggle against the ropes tying him. "Good to be back." The avatar replied right before he sent a blast of air from his mouth at the fire prince. Zuko smashed against the wall before going outside, he quickly caught up to the avatar who was crawling through the snow "That won't be enough to escape."

"Appa!" The avatar suddenly cried out, Zuko assumed that it must be the name of the Avatar's flying creature. As the creature landed a figure jumped off, it was the water bender from before. Zuko smirked before he asked "Here for a rematch." Katara who was already going through the motions for an attack simply replied "Trust me Zuko it isn't going to be much of a match." Zuko sent a blast a fire at her hoping to disrupt her attack but at a full moon the attack didn't even phase her, he was beginning to send out a second blast but as it released he suddenly found himself being trapped in a pillar of ice that shot into the sky and was then sent crashing down. That was when he blacked out.

* * *

Sokka ran up to Aang and quickly cut through the ropes, picking up the rope he said "Hey this is some quality rope." Aang then jumped on to Appa as Sokka climbed into the saddle they turned to see Katara picking up Zuko's body. "Um what are you doing?" Sokka asked, "I'm saving his life, he'd never survive out here." Aang sighed as he looked back to Sokka "She's right Sokka, we can't just leave him to die." Sokka let out a groan, "Why is everyone okay with bringing the guy who's constantly trying to kill us.

As they began to near the spirit oasis the moon suddenly became red. Aang and Yue both felt faint but Katara for some reason just began to feel angry, almost enraged and she wasn't sure why. When they landed at the Oasis they could see the problem, Zhao had captured the moon spirit and was obviously planning on killing it. "Whatever you do to that spirit I will unleash on you tenfold." (AN started at Iroh's line because he's awesome) Iroh proclaimed to Zhao. Zhao seeming to comply bent down and let the Koi fish back into the water. Then moments later he unleashed a fire blast at the moon spirit and then the moon was gone.

Iroh then launched himself at Zhao's men but Zhao quickly disappeared As Iroh bent down and picked up the dead body of what had once been the spirit of the moon Yue the hope obviously lost from her voice. "Theres no hope now, it's over."

AN: This is where the real changes begin.

Katara stared at the spirit oasis, she could feel the anger coming off of the ocean spirit and she wanted some way to help the spirit achieve it's revenge. She walked slowly to the edge of the pond and dipped her hand into the water. "Katara what are you doing, get away from there." Came Sokka's voice but it was too late as the Koi fish swam to Katara's hand and they were both illuminated in a brilliant blue light.

Katara's eyes seemed to glow an ethereal blue while a faint aura of light shone around her upon her face the mark of the ocean spirit appeared a faint blue symbol of illumination on her dark skin. The water all around her began to glow the same blue as her eyes. Even in her own mind things felt different, looked different. She could feel all of the water that flowed into the ocean but she could not feel any of the structures made of ice. Then she felt the anger that had begun to manifest ever since Zhao had grabbed the moon spirit from the oasis, and Katara would ensure that the spirit had it's revenge.

She began to walk towards the fire nation fleet, as she stepped on to the water she could feel it freeze beneath her. As she approached a group of water benders and fire nation soldiers fighting the water benders bowed, Katara wasn't sure what they were bowing too but she sent a wave at the fire nation warriors. What was supposed to be enough to give the water benders time to escape swept away the fire nation soldiers down the street. Any area she reached where there was fighting she wiped away any fire nation, there was no mercy in her right now. It was as if all the events in her life that the fire nation had caused her grief over was being brought forth this moment and turned into pure rage.

When she saw the fire nation fleet trying to flee she stood upon the ruins of the ancient wall, as she raised her arms into a bending position she could feel what felt like the entire ocean bend to her will. As she brought forth a wave of destruction so vast that it would have made something Aang had created in the avatar state looks like a child splashing around in the ocean and sent it into the heart of the fleet. She watched as the ships were torn to pieces, smashed like a wooden raft in a monsoon. Then she felt a change and all of a sudden she could once again feel the water in the ice. As she looked into the sky she saw the moon and she felt the water spirit leave her body. But Katara knew that it still had one more job to do before it returned to the oasis.

Katara was found crumpled on the wall, the remains of the fire nation fleet still floated outside of the northern water tribe a testament to what she had done that night. On her face the mark still remained but it soon faded, Aang and Sokka could still see it. They decided that it must be because they both had been to the spirit world even if one of them had been sent against his will. They placed her in the healing hut where she was treated with an almost reverence by the healers. That night Katara awoke to see Sokka snoring in a chair in the corner, Aang was curled up with Momo in another. But she remembered what had happened the previous night and she needed time to think, she began to make her way to the spirit oasis. When she entered the small door and saw the two fish swimming endlessly in circles she didn't know how the moon spirit came back. No one had told her what transpired when she was...possessed was perhaps the best description.

"Hello Katara." Katara turned trying to figure out where the voice came from. Suddenly shimmering in the air Yue appeared before her. She floated down to the ground and sat down on the grass, she looked at Katara and smiled. "It's good to see your well." Katara finding her voice "You gave up your life didn't you? Thats how the moon came back." Yue gave a small nod, "But why would you appear to me I mean why not Sokka?" At the mention of Sokka's name a look of sadness crossed Yue's face. "I'm sorry, it's just that I don't know why you would want to talk to me."

"Katara, you might not know why yet but have you even looked at yourself?" Katara curious looked into the outer ring of water, she used her bending to make the water still and let out a gasp at the symbol that she could see on her cheek. "Yue what does that mean??" Yue spoke from her spot on the grass, "It means that you still have some of the ocean's spirit's power within you. This means that anytime you bend water from the ocean you will be more powerful. But ice or fresh water will be as you were before. Though it's not like you aren't one of the most powerful benders in the world."

"But why did this mark show up? I mean I remember last night but...ugh it's all so confusing." Yue stood up and placed her hand on her shoulder. "All I can say is that it all happened for a reason, I'm sure you will figure it out for yourself. And Katara the reason I showed up to you is because the moon and the ocean spirit is linked. So because you have some of the ocean spirit's power within you we are linked." Katara just mutely nodded. Yue led her back to the door to the actual city, "Now go Katara if someone wakes up and your gone they will be worried."

* * *

Meanwhile Zuko sat on the makeshift raft that he and his Uncle were on. He could remember as they were escaping seeing the body of the waterbender lying collapsed in the distance. Zuko had started to head to see if she was alright without even thinking about it, only Uncle had grabbed his arm and told him that they had to go. Zuko knew that Uncle was right but he knew that there was another reason why he didn't want him to go near her...but what was it. Zuko didn't know why he felt that this was important but he knew it was and he would find out what his Uncle was hiding.

* * *

I never liked this chapter, I didn't like it when I wrote it and I really didn't like it when I tried to rewrite it. Mostly because, especially when I reached the end I realized that I had been trying to rush through the plot, so what I should have originally left out to elaborate on in the next few chapters I simply had tacked on the end of the most recent chapter (at the time) that I had done.


	4. Wish I may

Disclaimer: I don't own avatar.

AN: Well this chapter while it stays mostly the same to my original draft got a lot of small edits, and a few big ones given that forced me to delete and then rewrite about a page...Anyway hope you enjoy.

Alright this chapter is based pretty much entirely off of episode one of Book two, this will not be the case for all episodes just the ones I deem important. (plus Iroh has way too good of lines in this one to give up).

Preacher: "It's god's will."

Mal: "Y'all see the man hanging out of the spaceship with the really big gun? Now I'm not saying you weren't easy to find but it was kinda out of our way and he didn't want to come in the first place, Man's lookin' to kill some folk. So really, it's his will y'all should be worrying about thwarting."

* * *

Zuko sighed, Iroh had been enjoying the comforts of this spa for much too long in his opinion. Zuko had simply been dealing with the nightmares that always accompanied the anniversary of his banishment. A sigh escaped his lips as he looked into the garden, it was nowhere near as beautiful as his mother's had been. Zuko missed her, she had been the only one who understood him fully. Who didn't want more of him then he could give, he knew that his Uncle wanted him to stop his quest for the avatar and fine his own path in life and Zuko, well Zuko just felt confused.

He had always trusted Uncle without a second thought, and while Zuko knew that his Uncle most likely knew many secrets he had never to Zuko's knowledge held something back purposefully from him. _But why would Uncle try to hide something from me that involved the water bender? What could there even be to hide from me...i_

Zuko shook his head, he didn't want to go down this train of thought. It would just make things worse, if he could just capture the avatar and go home he would have all the time in the world to find out what his Uncle was holding back from him. Another sigh broke from his lips. As Iroh walked over and sat next to him "It's the anniversary isn't it?" His uncle's voice had concern laced through it. "Three years ago today I was banished. I lost it all, I want it back. I want the Avatar, I want my honor back, I want my throne. And most of all I don't want my Father to think I'm worthless."

"I'm sure he doesn't, why would he banish you if he didn't care." As Zuko stood up he heard Iroh "Eww, that came out wrong didn't it." But in Zuko's head it wouldn't stop repeating itself, the doubts regarding his sire's love towards him became nearly unbearable this close to the anniversary. Thoughts like why was he always trying to do this task his father had set to him. The fact that the task his father had charged him with was meant to be impossible made it terribly clear that his Father had looked at Zuko that day collasped upon the agni kai arena not as his son but as a tool that no longer had a use. When he was younger his Father may have cared. Zuko sighed, his father had stopped caring the moment his bending had begun to weaken.

Unlike most fire benders who could remember the first time they used their element Zuko could never remember what had happened. He knew that he was at his Grandmother from his mother's side for a family visit. This was back when Azula had just been born, Ozai had found some box and then Zuko remembered him throwing it to the floor and then his memory just blanked. When the memory began again his father had a burn on his chest and he was smiling, Zuko only had his own theory as to what happened but he was fairly sure that he had attacked his father for some reason.

Zuko summoned a small flame, he watched as it wavered in the sea air performing the hypnotic dance that all flames do (A.N Yes I'm a bit of a pyro). Zuko felt his gaze drawn across to the ocean in the background, the water seemingly dancing along with the flame he knew this was wishful thinking but it was beautiful none the less. He remembered the times as children when they would play on the beach on ember island, Azula back then not the snake she had become but care free and so much like her mother. Zuko sighed he didn't hate his sister, point in fact he pitied her. She was basically a living weapon for their father now and Zuko wished he knew some way to bring back the little sister he had known for only a short time.

Zuko looked up at the sky, despite the suns comforting rays he was afraid. This fear wasn't attached to anything physical they were simply based off of events, tonight like every other night around this time for the past three years he would have that dream. He stood in the Agni Kai arena of three years ago, everything the same, the noise people even the feel of the stone. But Zuko was different, well different wasn't the right word. He was looking at himself from he had originally assumed was his father the first time the dream happened. But it wasn't, Zuko still to this day had no idea who the man was that he watched the grisly scene unfold from behind the mans eyes.

Everything happened as it had before, Zuko fell begging to the floor but there was no voice that spoke out like his father had when he struck Zuko. Instead when the boy was maimed and passed out the man bent down and picked up the young Zuko. He said the same thing every time to the young prince "This mark may seem a curse to you now, but some day it shall be your salvation and you will understand why this gives you true honor."

Zuko sighed and turned to meditate in the garden. He may as well try and center himself before the nightmares began.

* * *

Katara was furious at the Earth Kingdom general. He was using wounded soldiers to try and influence Aang into this meaningless waste of time. She groaned, after spending two hours trying to talk Aang out of doing this and getting nowhere she had given up, sometimes he was too childish. He didn't think of what may happen if he lost control of himself, wasn't it just this morning that he was afraid of himself in the avatar state and now he wanted to enter it to simply appease some overzealous earth kingdom general.

She stood on the cliffs as she went through her bending prep, this was the first time she had ever tried bending the ocean on the scale she had the night of the siege. She could already feel it calling to her but she would not be hasty, if she tried to do too much too early she may end up doing serious damage. As she looked ahead she simply tried bending basic shapes, she was amazed at how simply it responded to her bending but as she moved farther away she could feel her powers weaken significantly. She guessed she had power over maybe a three or four ship lengths worth of water before she had to put significant effort into it, and then maybe another two or three ship lengths before her powers were next to nothing. _Not too shabby_ she thought to herself.

Her thoughts returned to the strange vision she had after Zuko knocked her out, the man's eyes she realized now were identical to Zuko's. It was not so surprising that she remembered Zuko's eyes, after all he had come to epitomize everything bad that had happened to her that the fire nation had caused. She knew that he would have been very young when her mother had died but she didn't care, he had hunted them and tried to hurt her friends plus there had been the tree incident...All for what? Why would her pursue them so far and with such dedication, what did he hope to achieve anyway. Katara shook her head, there was no way of finding out such answers so there was no reason trying to ponder them out.

* * *

Zuko headed to bed as he felt the sun began to dip below the horizon. He never had trouble getting to sleep so he was soon breathing peacefully.

The moment he became aware that he was dreaming he knew something was different, he was on a beach for one which was never a part of the normal nightmare. His point of view shifted and he realized that he was looking through the eyes of someone else, the person finally stopped and focused on the woman in his arms. She was water tribe from what Zuko could tell but her eyes were the most beautiful blue he had every seen. A_ lot like that waterbending peasants eyes,wait where did that come from? _

Neither the person whose eyes that Zuko was looking out of nor the water tribe woman said anything, she just took hold of his arm and began to lead him down the beach. She was smiling and Zuko was fairly sure the man was simply content to see her smile. Zuko even to a small extent felt that her smile made everything seemed brighter but he tried to ignore that. Eventually she seemed to find what she was looking for and it turned out to be a natural cave, dug out by the ocean over the years.

She stepped inside beckoning her companion with her arm, once both of them were in the cave she wrapped her arms around him, _I think it's a him _Zuko thought. And she brought her face in slowly until their lips just barely grazed, as soon as this contact was made they both moved in closer together Zuko could feel the pressure from the womans chest on her companions and he even felt a little light headed though he wasn't sure if that was the man's reaction or his. Then suddenly he woke up.

But he wasn't awake, because Zuko knew where he was. It was ember Island. He found it strange that he would dream of here of all places, then again it was weird that he was dreaming of home. In three years he had never vividly dreamed of being back home, Zuko assumed it was because he felt he didn't deserve to be back there even in his dreams...without his honor.

It was only when he heard someone's grumbling that he realized there was another person inside the dream. He headed to the nearest hill so he could get a better look and hopefully find who else was on the island, but as he crested the hill he was suddenly sent to the ground as he felt someone else land on top of him. As he looked up he found himself staring into a pair of the blue eyes that seemed very familiar..._No it can't be the avatar's water bender...agni it is the avatar's water bender._

She quickly jumped off him obviously shaken a little from the collision, as Zuko began to stand he heard her voice "What are you doing in my dream?!" Zuko looked up, a confused expression on his face "Your dream this is my dream. Since I would find it weird that you would be dreaming of a place in the fire nation." He told the water bender.

A slow smirk began to grow on her face, "I'll fight you for it." Her voice as kind as ice, _Great now people are trying to kill me in my dreams_. Zuko could only stare in amazement as he watched the water tribe bender begin to draw water not from the water skin at her side but from the ocean itself. Zuko tried to stop her by sending the largest fireball he could at her but she simply drew the water from the pouch at her side to extinguish it, as Zuko stared at the approaching wave of water that rushed to crush him his only thought was _I think I would have preferred the nightmares_.

Zuko awoke with a start, he looked around just to ensure that he was indeed in his room at the spa and not being crushed beneath a wave on ember island. He groaned the sun wasn't even up yet, Zuko simply rose from his bed he wasn't risking another dream like that. Because while he may not be dead like in his dream he certainly felt like he was.

* * *

Katara groaned awake, she could feel Yue's pull in the sky. "Not even morning yet..." She grumbled, strangely she felt horrible after the dream where she killed Zuko. _Why did I even kill him?, he didn't do anything in fact he seemed kind of at peace_. Katara shook the thoughts away, as she walked out into the courtyard she saw Aang coming back from the main building. She ran over to him a little worried as to why he was up so late. "Aang what are you doing up so late?" Aang looked at her obviously not wanting to tell her, but he knew that Katara would be more angry if she found out tomorrow "I'm going to work with the earth kingdom general to try and find a way to enter the Avatar state."

Katara just stared at him, she felt her hands at her sides ball into fists involuntarily. Aang stood there obviously expecting her to give him a speech on how he should be doing it his way, but Katara simply turned around and walked away. "Katara wait where are you going?!?" She heard Aang's voice come from behind her, "To be alone for a while Aang, since you seem to value my opinion so much then you can do without it for a while." She called over her shoulder before disappearing into the night.

* * *

Zuko's mind kept turning over the events in his dream, _What if it wasn't a dream what if the waterbender was actually somehow there with you_. Zuko quickly discarded the thought, reincarnating avatars was enough craziness he didn't need a homicidal water bender in his dreams too. But the dream before that hadn't been just any dream either, truly to Zuko it felt more like a memory but it obviously could never have happened...could it? He was jarred out of these thoughts when his uncle's voice broke through his reverie.

"Look at these magnificent shells, I will enjoy these keepsakes for years to come." Zuko inwardly groaned. His uncle may be a great man but he had a habit of collecting junk...a lot of junk. "We don't need any more useless things, or have you forgotten we have to carry everything ourselves." Iroh simply looked down at the shell until a voice from the corner of the room grabbed both their attention.

"Hello brother, uncle." Zuko was shocked to see Azula sitting comfortably in one corner of the room, a smirk on her face. "What are you doing here?" Azula merely began to play with one of Uncle's shells before beginning to speak "In my country we exchange a pleasant hello before asking questions." A look of disgust crossed her voice as she stood up. "Or is it that you have become so uncivilized so soon Zuzu?"

Zuko knew what game she was playing, but he was too tired or simply didn't care anymore when she so obviously wanted to get a rise out of him. When no outburst came Azula gave Zuko a quizzical look "I see that you have been working on your little anger problem have you Zuzu? That is a good thing I suppose, Father will want you to have a clear head when you come home." Zuko couldn't stop his surprise from showing "Home? But I haven't captured the Avatar yet."

"The Avatar doesn't matter anymore, Father has heard of treacherous plots against him. Some would seek to take the throne from him and after all if you can't trust family who can you trust." Azula seeming to sense that Zuko needed further proof continued "Father does regret your banishment, he really does want you home Zuko." Zuko's mind couldn't process this information. It was too sudden, too much. He walked to the window trying to collect his thoughts. "Didn't you hear me?" Azula's annoyance at the situation clearly visible. "I just gave you great news." Iroh trying to appease the princess began to speak in his defense "I'm sure your brother just-"

"Don't interrupt uncle!" Azula not trying to hide her own dislike for her Uncle. "I'm still waiting for my thank you." Zuko turned to Azula "You said that father regretted my banishment?" Azula sighed obviously annoyed at being asked a question she had given him an answer for "Yes or did you not just hear me?" Zuko not phased continued "Does he regret what he did, or is it merely useful for him now to be home." Azula simply began to walk out of the small house "You obviously need some time to think this fully through Zuko, because if I let you on my ship with you talking like that you could be arrested for treason. I'll be by in the morning to collect you."

* * *

Katara leaned against a railing of the earth kingdom fortress. "Can we talk about something." She asked Aang who leaned against a railing looking outward away from the fortress. "Sure" Was all the airbender replied. "Do you remember when the Ocean spirit empowered me?" Aang turned to look at her, "Of course I remember it was hard to forget." Katara simply looked down at her feet "How did you guys feel when that happened." Aang thought back to all the emotions that had run through his mind. "I'd say mostly fear, I mean your normally calm and peaceful but you were all of a sudden this different person. You were wiping out those troops without any hesitation and then when those ships were trying to escape you made that giant wave and crush..."

"Alright Aang just stop describing it!" Katara yelled, Aang a little stunned by her outburst just looked at her. "I'm sorry it's just, what you just described is how it feels like to me when you go into the avatar state. Your a completely different person, and it's a little scary to see someone you love become that." Aang simply looked over the railing again "I'm really glad you told me that. But I still need to do this." Katara moved away form the railing turning to face Aang "I don't understand why do you have to do this?"

"No you don't. Every day more and more people die, I'm already a hundred years too late. Defeating the fire lord is the only way to stop this war, I have to try it." Katara felt something snap inside her. "I don't understand?" Her voice had an edge to it that Aang had never heard before. "Let me tell you what I don't understand, is how you can't think of anyone but yourself!" She turned away from him, for a moment he thought she was going to leave but she continued "You know my Mother died in a fire nation raid, who knows that if maybe you hadn't have run away from the temple a hundred years ago she may still be alive!" Aang looked at her angry that she was trying to make him feel guilty. "So your saying that your mother's death is my fault!" Katara whirled around so that she was facing him, Aang was a little shocked to see her eyes had a little bit of the same glow they had a nearly a week ago "Aang if you get to say that I don't understand why the fire nation needs to be defeated, then I think I have the right to blame you for my Mother's death!." With that she left.

* * *

Katara was dreaming. She knew that she was dreaming because she was at the south pole. She was curled up in a ball at the foot of Sokka's old watchtower, she could feel the tears falling down her face. Which was another hint that she was dreaming seeing as how neither she nor the tears were freezing. How could Aang say that to her, how could he think that she wouldn't understand. She thought she could hear footsteps coming near her but she didn't want to break out of her grief, she just wanted to lie there and cry. "Are you okay?" She heard the voice she had least expected to hear. That of Fire Prince Zuko.

She looked up "What are you doing in my dream!" Zuko took a step back, obviously remembering what happened last time. "I don't know, but are you alright. Why are you crying?" Katara just stared at the prince. "Why are you trying to be nice? Or are you just trying to get me to drop my guard so you can kill me?" It was hard not to notice how Zuko's body tensed up at her accusations, but he seemed to be trying to keep calm. His voice had a strained calm to it when he started to speak "If I was trying to kill you I just would have done so when you were oh so conveniently ignoring the world. As to why I'm trying to help you, it's not like helping someone in a dream is going to hurt anyone." Katara not convinced stated coldly "Your Fire Nation, all you people do is destroy. Lives, homes hope everything!"

Zuko starred at her in disbelief. Is this how the rest of the world thought of his nation. But her words had a horrible ring of truth that only someone who had something truly important taken away from them could have. Zuko's couldn't have kept the sadness out of his voice if he had tried "What did my people do to you?" The water bender looked slightly taken aback at how sincere he sounded. She simply looked at him the tears still running down her face "They took away my Mother." Zuko slowly walked over to her and knelt down in front of her "Do you want to kill me again?"

At the Prince's words Katara couldn't help but be shocked. "What?" All he did was repeat what he had just said "Do you want to kill me?" Katara managed to splutter out "No, no I heard you it's just why would you offer to let me kill you?" Zuko looked at her, Katara couldn't help but see some form of sincerity in his eyes. "My people took away someone you treasured dearly, and while you can't truly kill me this may ease your pain." Katara simply shook her head, "No when I killed you the other night, I wasn't myself. I was having trouble thinking clearly, this earth kingdom general was trying to get Aang to do something he shouldn't have and I took out my frustrations on the first thing I saw as an enemy." Katara paused then spoke again "To tell the truth when I think of the fire nation I see your face."

Zuko felt his hand instinctively go up and touch his scar. "Oh I see." He stood up and walked away a little, wanting solitude from the water bender that threatened to break open those blocks he had made to keep back thoughts like the one that had gotten him banished in the first place all right before he went home! But he couldn't walk away, he needed to help her and he didn't know where that need came from. "I just want you to know, that we have something in common." He paused trying to silence the warring voices in his mind, "I lost my mother to the fire nation too." He turned and looked at the water bender. She was starring at him with a look that was a mix between sadness and some mild form of interest. "Um can I sit down?" The water bender was a little taken aback from the sudden request simply nodded. Once Zuko was seated he looked at her, "I just want you to know that what I'm about to tell you I have never told anyone else, not even my uncle." And with that Zuko began telling the story of his mother's disappearance and the events that led to it.

* * *

Katara groaned awake, she could here something smashing outside. "What crazy thing are they trying now?" She was content to leave them out there until it became louder...maybe she should go out and make sure they weren't trying to kill Aang or something...

As she entered the courtyard she saw Sokka coming down the opposite stairwell. "Whats going on?" She yelled to her brother, "The General's gone crazy and is trying to force Aang into the Avatar state." Katara felt a emotion that had became quite familiar in recent days, anger. She quickly let out a water whip that struck a nearby earth bender off of his mount. Which Sokka then got on himself, she looked around for Aang seeing that he was on the veranda overlooking the lower plaza. Then she realized that she was surrounded. General Fong stood before her, yelling up to Aang "You may be able to dodge our attacks but she can't." Katara's response was simply as she froze the water in her pouch into ice daggers and sent them hurtling at the general, he brought up a shield but he wasn't fast enough to stop one from embedding itself in his shoulder.

An unfamiliar smirk came on her face, but it soon disappeared as she realized she was out of water. She suddenly felt the earth begin to swallow her up, _he's trying to kill me!_ Her mind shouted. As she struggled to get out she heard Aang and Sokka cry out. But she was too busy to notice what was happening. As she sank further she saw Aang trying to attack the General and Sokka sent flying through the air. As Aang began to plead with the General Katara felt herself sink more. As she felt herself sink up to her neck Katara felt true fear, she didn't want to die here. Not because of some crazed earth general. "You don't need to do this!" Aang's voice cried out, "Apparently I do." Came Fong's voice. Then all went black.

The first thing Katara realized was that she wasn't dead, _he's using me to trick Aang into the Avatar state._ Soon after this realization she felt herself propelled to the surface. Hovering above her was Aang while Fong was trying to get him to respond. Suddenly Aang shot downwards shattering the ground and sending anyone who didn't have the luck or the common sense to duck flying. As Aang began to recover Katara ran up to help him. "I'm sorry Katara I hope you never have to see me like that again."

"Ha are you joking, that was almost perfect. We just have to find some way to control you." Aang looked up at him "Your out of your mind." As Fong continued "Well I guess we'll just have to figure that out on the way to the fire nation." Sokka rode up on the Ostrich horse behind him and hit him on the head with his club. "Anyone got a problem with that?" Fong's soldiers obviously having more intelligence then their commander wisely shook their heads.

The soldiers walked forward, bowing to them. "Do you still want an escort to Omashu?" Katara simply looked at the others and replied. "No I think were all set."

* * *

Zuko and Uncle stood at a steam, Zuko pulled out the knife his uncle had given him all those years ago. He saw the past three years reflected in it's blade, his failings, his hope that his father would have him back, of recapturing the Avatar and getting back his honor. All of it shattered in the last few hours. His own sister sent to capture him, and she hadn't even planned on bringing him home alive. What had happened to her, then again what had happened to him. Because deep down he was somehow glad at what had happened. Now there was no need to doubt, now all that remained was to act as how he saw fit to act. To maybe figure out who he really was. As he cut the hair from the back of his head, he cut his ties with his nation. _From here on I will forge my own path_ Zuko promised himself.

* * *

AN: Whew that was long wasn't it? (and it ironically got longer when I edited it instead of getting smaller :) ) I was kind of surprised when I looked at the word count to realize that this chapter was the length of all the others combined. And the reason why I didn't put in Zuko's fight with Azula was because it's unchanged. The only real reason I put in the whole Katara bit of the fight was because I'm showing that this stories Katara is quite a bit darker (I.E not water whipping but ice daggering (is that a verb?) the general).


	5. Interlude: Dreams of an Angel

Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA or Any quote source.

AN: This is just a short chapter, and it's the first "interlude" these will be basically stories about characters other then Zuko and Katara.

Jack Sparrow: "Me I'm dishonest, and a dishonest man you can always count on to be dishonest. Honestly it's the honest ones you have to watch for, because you can never tell when they will do something incredibly stupid."

* * *

Azula was dreaming, but tonight those dreams held no promise of sweet thoughts and happy endings no tonight was when nightmares roamed through her mind, making her question all only for her waking mind to push such thoughts away. But those thoughts still remained, on the edge of her consciousness eating away at everything that she was.

In her dream she was in the palace back home. She turned and saw on the table a picture, it was a small painting that had been commissioned when she would have been two maybe three. She was in her mother's arms and her mother was smiling that angelic smile of hers. As she reached down and picked up the painting a smile graced her lips identical to the one her mother had had, her mother had cared for her back then no matter what had happened later on.

Suddenly and without explanation the picture, frame and all burst into blue flame. Startled by the fire Azula instinctively dropped the painting, but this only caused the fire to spread. It soon was crawling along the floors and up the walls, while Azula began to run through the twisting hall ways of the palace hoping to out race the fire. As she entered the gardens that her mother once tended so carefully she stopped, shocked at the sight before her.

Her sire laughing manically was burning the entire garden to cinders. Azula cried out "Father what are you doing." He turned to her, and she could see the madness in his eyes. "I'm carrying out the will of my fore-fathers. The world shall become not but ash, a new world which I shall shape and rule all!" As he finished his proclamation his laughter returned and he seemed content to ignore his daughter.

Azula screamed at him "I'll never help you to destroy the world!" But this only seemed to increase her father's laughter. He turned to her once more he almost sounded like he was gloating as he began to speak "You won't help me? Silly girl your my greatest asset. Just look behind you, everything you touch every action you do causes nothing but more destruction." Azula feared what she would see behind her but she steeled herself and turned.

And the sight that greeted her proved her father right, every step she had made had spread more fire. The fire coming out of her footsteps themselves, she could feel the tears falling down her face as she begged forgiveness to whatever spirits would listen to her. "Azula?" A voice not unlike her own called. As Azula turned to the source of the voice she saw her mother approaching her. Azula wanted to scream to her, tell her to get away or to simply run to stop her mother from suffering the same fate as the palace. But she couldn't, she was rooted to that very spot and no words would leave her mouth.

Her mother began to whisper words of comfort to her, as she wrapped her arms around Azula her daughter could soon see the flames beginning to spread across her mother's body. All the while Ursa still continued to gently tell her daughter words of comfort.

* * *

"MOM!!!!" Azula's scream filled her quarters, as she shot up in her bed. Fully aware that she could feel the cold sweat that covered both her body and the sheets over her she shuddered. "It was just a dream, it doesn't mean anything." Azula more told the air then anyone else. She knew the sun wasn't in the sky yet but she knew she would not be sleeping any more that night. She groaned, this was the fifth nightmare in as many days. Ever since she had attacked Zuko on the ship they had gotten worse, and Azula knew why. Because deep down she had been screaming for Zuko to get out of the way even as she separated her energies to make lightning.

That part of her, the part that was still the sad little girl who had just wanted her mother's love. Who adored her older brother, who even liked tea a little had been silent for a very long time. The last time nightmares had plagued Azula had been a few weeks after the Agni Kai incident. But now they were back and seemingly more powerful then before.

But no matter how powerful they were, Azula's own mind was stronger. She was Azula princess of the fire nation and no bad dreams would make her doubt herself, her nation or her actions. But this was not the thoughts of the young girl these were the thoughts of Azula fire princess, Azula daughter of Ozai, Azula the living weapon.

Azula called some servants into her room, and ordered that they dress her. As she watched the servants due their jobs she mused how lovely it must be to be a servant. To have ones only worry be to make sure your master is happy, not like her. Azula was a servant in a much different capacity, she was a servant as long as she remained powerful. This was a much more precarious position because one slip up would mean that she would have lost the love of not one parent throughout her life but of two.

As soon as the servants were done she headed to the deck of the ship, as the felt the suns rays begin to strike her she couldn't help but muse over the differences in her own family. Her mother and her brother were both so comfortable in the light, they co-existed with other people, they didn't have some driving need to prove themselves better then anyone else. Well Zuko did a little but then that was to be expected when your father told you your whole life that you were worthless.

But Azula, she existed alone abandoned to be forever on her pedestal looking down at the world. Too afraid to venture into the light that was friendship, understanding, acceptance, instead she became cold, calculating, ruthless. One day she may be able to venture into that light, but until that day she would be Azula the daughter of Ozai.

* * *

AN: This is truly one of my favorite chapters, then again Azula is one of my favorite characters and it is just so easy to make her tragic.


	6. Epicon

AN: Well first off I'm not doing a full episode chapter for either of the next two episodes. This will more be a in between scenes episode with flash backs to the changes I have made in the previous ones. Also introducing a OC in this chapter, he won't be involved in any ships and well his purpose will be shown in time.

"I'd kill you in a fair fight."-Will Turner

"Well thats not much of a reason for me to fight fair."-Jack Sparrow

* * *

It was a day after they had fled Omashu, a day after Bumi had given Aang his annoying vague instructions for what to look for in an earth bending teaching. Katara shook her head, Aang had been ignoring her talking to her only when they had to._ How could he still be angry about the cave? I mean doesn't he realize that I think of him like my little brother._ But Katara knew deep down that she hadn't kissed Aang for another reason. When she had closed her eyes, thinking that maybe if she didn't see him it would make it easier to manage she had seen those striking golden eyes, piercing to her very soul.

Katara felt a slight blush at her cheeks thinking about those eyes. The eyes from the man in those dreams, and Katara mused the same golden eyes that Zuko and his sister shared. Katara shuddered a little, that girl was so it seemed at a level all by herself when it came to firebending. This led to Katara feeling a little annoyed at how easily those other two had beaten her, then the one who shot those arrows/knives had mocked her. But Katara knew she was right, without her bending she was useless.

Katara shook those thoughts away and put your head down on to her bed roll. Maybe sleep would bring some form of comfort.

* * *

Katara was pleasantly surprised when she saw Zuko standing at the edge of a pool, as she looked around they appeared to be in a garden of some sorts. As she took a step forward she saw his neck snap and look toward her. Katara couldn't supress the instinct to say what she was thinking and burst out saying "Where were you the past few nights!" At this Katara could see Zuko's good eyebrow raise. "I never knew my absence would cause you such stress."

Katara huffed and tramped over to where the arrogant prince stood. "We fought your sister yesterday, she had two girls with her." Zuko simply nodded before replying "Mai and Ty Lee, they've been friends since they were little." He paused but then decided to continue speaking. "Well I guess friends isn't a good term, you aren't friends with Azula you are simply useful. I'm sure deep down she cares about them but she would never admit it." Katara glanced at Zuko surprised at how openly he gave information. "The one who throws the arrows and knives mocked me, said I was useless without my bending." She noticed a small smirk at the edge of his lips. "That would have been Mai, she's not a bender at least not to my knowledge. And everyone in the fire nation who isn't a bender needs to know how to fight with a weapon. I learned how to use dual broadswords in case my bending ever failed me, plus it was something Azula couldn't out do me in."

Katara could see the logic in knowing how to use a normal weapon. As she sat down next to the pool she could feel a frown make it's way across her face as she remembered what awaited her in the waking world. "Is something wrong? You just look like you've had a bad day." Zuko's voice drifted from the other side of the pool. As Katara looked up she replied "Ya it's been a bad few days, Omashu was captured, Bumi isn't going to be Aang's teacher, and Aang tried to kiss me." At the last comment she noticed Zuko's surprised expression, Katara felt herself bristling at that look "What is so surprising at that!"

Zuko sighed, it was no use not telling the truth seeing as she was already angry. "Well I just assumed that you and the Avatar were well together." As he watched the waterbender's frown increase Zuko braced himself for the explosion he was expecting. But instead he heard her voice quietly whisper "But I don't feel like that, he's like my brother." Zuko could feel a twinge of something, he wasn't sure what. Finding his voice he began to speak "It was never so much you, it was more how he acted around you. He was always when I was chasing you putting himself between you and danger, it was more of how he held himself like he had claimed you and was perfectly content with that." Zuko was prepared to feel an ice dagger puncture him but Katara simply sighed. As she looked up he noticed that she focused on him and her eyes opened up in a little bit of surprise.

Katara was a little shocked that she hadn't noticed right away that Zuko had hair, "What happened to your ponytail thing." She almost giggled when she saw Zuko's hands ball up at the ponytail remark. "It was a mark of honor, preparation for the day I would ascend my father to fire lord. And...it's gone because I'm a fugitive from the Fire Nation now." Katara gasped, Zuko was being hunted by the fire nation now, Katara's mind quickly put Azula's sudden appearance together with Zuko's news "Azula is involved in this isn't she." Zuko nodded, "She came to arrest me and Uncle. We have been deemed failures by the firelord to be brought back home where we can't cause any more damage."

At his quick but painful, at least to himself admission Zuko felt guilt at how he had been behaving recently. "I'm a bad person" He said quietly, he had almost forgot about the waterbender _Katara her name is Katara is you keep calling her the waterbender she will find out somehow and kill you._ The water-Katara's voice came from the other side of the pool "Why are a bad person Zuko?" Zuko sighed as he began to recount the events of the previous day. He had expected her to hit him, or kill him. But she simply looked at him with a look, it wasn't pity but Zuko had no idea what it was. "Zuko, I know that what you did was wrong. But from the little that I've learned of you I think that guilt you feel is probably killing you." Zuko grimaced, she was too perceptive for her own good.

Katara decided to try and steer the conversation away from such dreary talk. "Come on Zuko, lets just talk. You at least get me unlike some people." Katara noticed a small smile at Zuko's mouth. "You know what Katara." _Katara? Prince Zuko knows my name?_ "You are probably the closest thing I've ever had to a real friend." Katara felt the need to comfort him, but instead she simply patted his hand reassuringly "Come on no serious talk, lets just enjoy the company." The two of them simply talked about nothing in particular for the rest of the night.

* * *

Azula starred at Lo and Li, they had asked for her presence and Azula assumed that it was important _It had better be_. As soon as she entered the meditation room they were occupying at the time they began. "If you wish to succeed in catching the avatar." Lo started, "A true mentor you need." Li finished. "A man forged in the cold heat of winter." Lo stated, "Who shall enable you to reach your true potential." Li finished. Azula sighed, "And where would this man be." The sisters simply looked to one another and stated "We have someone in mind." Li began, "He is in a prison to the south." Lo finished.

* * *

Azula hated prisons, they were cold and she didn't do well with cold. It came with being born in winter, it meant that her own inner flame gave off no heat so she was susceptible to cold unlike her brother and uncle. The man she was looking for had been a former fire nation general before he went on a killing spree with his own men. No one to this day knew why he did it but according to Lo and Li he was still loyal to the royal family. As Azula reached the room she wanted she signaled the guard, as he opened the door Azula saw the small cell, the man in the room was wrapped up in a heavy blanket and Azula wanted to take it from him. He looked to be in between her father's age and her uncle's. And while that left plenty of room she at least had something to start from.

"Hello princess." His voice was raspy, though that was most likely due to it not being used much. "You knew I was coming?" The man simply seemed to smile, his Grey hair blocked some of his face from being used but she could see his gray eyes staring intently at her. "I have my sources, just like I know that you recently fought the avatar at Omashu. Which is what brings you here to my humble little cell. You know how powerful the avatar and his little water bender is and you don't want your friends being hurt." Azula could feel her hands ball up at how casually the man addressed her. "Now maybe your time in your cell has dulled your wits a little. But you don't talk to the person who holds your freedom in their hands like that." The man simply turned away from her chuckling, "Just like her father," As he turned back he began to speak again "Girl I knew your grandfather, do not mistake your status as power. I see no reason why I should help you let alone be civil to you."

Azula fought back the urge to set the fool on fire, she knew that Lo and Li were right. Zuzu had always had Uncle but Azula had no one to help teach her, she may be a prodigy but that was nothing in comparison to the life experience of this man. She turned to the guard "Leave us and shut the door behind you." She didn't turn to look at the man until she heard the door shut, "Please I need your help" Her voice little more then a whisper. At this the man looked at her with a slight interest in her eyes. "Princess, I know why you came her but if you want my help you need to agree to a few terms." The nod she gave was enough for him to continue. "Firstly, I want my equipment that I had when I was put into this cell all those years ago. Secondly I want to be a free man, nothing to keep me with you but my own choice. Don't worry this is simply because I do have some outstanding things to do in the real world but it won't impact on your own training. And lastly you will have to be honest with me."

Azula felt the familiar surge of anger but pushed it down, "Anything else, or would you like the fire lords throne while your at it?" The man gave a short laugh, "Attitude will get you nothing. Accept the terms or not, it's your choice." Azula, stared at him _He doesn't care, he actually is fine with staying in this cell the rest of his life._ "All right, but I have my own terms, they are very simple and there is just one. Betray me and I will kill you." The man simply nodded as Azula reached into her pocket and took out the keys, as she unlocked the door the man walked out and turned to the princess. "My name is Salus, princess." He said bowing low.

* * *

AN: Yes it's shortish. But the next next chapter will be longer, the next chapter is an interlude about Salus.


	7. Interlude: Souls and Swords

AN: I actually didn't change anything here, a few spelling errors her and there but nothing else.

"We deal in lead"-Roland of Gilead

* * *

Salus sat at the edge of the fire princesses camp, now clothed in a long black cloak that wrapped around him, obscuring his body but one could see the scabbard of a Katana poking out of the bottom. His hands were away from the blade, as thought he didn't wish to touch it. As he watched the princess walk around ordering about those who served her he shook his head. One as young as that should not be as conceited, but he supposed she was a royal. Ozai had been no better a lifetime ago, Iroh had always had the human touch you may say. He often would sneak out with his friend the son of a councilor, Salus's life had been laid out by his father. The best teachers available, friends with the sons of the firelord, and a easy way up the ladder of the military. A "short cut" to glory his father had called it, Salus had left that day, taking nothing with him and enrolled in the military under a false name. Not that the army had cared, though he had soon risen through the ranks due to his skill.

As he approached the princess he knew that her training would be difficult. He was directly behind her and in a single movement drew his sword, it slid out of the scabbard noiselessly the blade though originally a brilliant silver years ago was now stained red. Salus still distrusted the blade, it wasn't his but he knew it reveled in death. Malinanis he called it, it was an evil void taking each soul it took from this plane into some hell. "Princess, what is the greatest weakness of an avatar?" As he looked at her he could tell she wouldn't answer, instead her voice came "Guards would you get rid of the man holding the sword to my neck." Salus could only chuckle, "If you guards try all you will end up with is a few dead guards and a very annoyed mentor. Now answer the question."

"Not until you remove the sword from my neck." Salus decided that it was a fair request, he stepped back sheathing the sword once more. Azula turned to him, he could see the anger in those golden eyes though he knew his own grey ones would simply be reflecting his own indifference. " The avatars have no weakness because they have no strength, the only part of them that is strong is fire and even that is only a quarter of them." With that Azula walked to the edge of the camp and leaned against a tree smirking, obviously pleased with her answer. Salus could only shake his head, his right hand slid to his belt tucked there were three throwing knives and he decided a scare might make her take this seriously. With a simple flick of the wrist the knife sprung from his hand and appeared quivering in the wood next to the princesses head.

"Do not underestimate you opponent princess, you never know what surprises they may have." As he walked over and retrieved the knife from the tree with a tug he continued, "The avatar's greatest weakness is not that they are of all four nations. But that they are first raised as a single nation, this makes them too used to using just one element. Take for instance the current avatar, he may only have mastered two elements thus far but you can be certain that right now he would and probably will for the rest of his life always be more apt to use air bending. Now princess what is the current avatar's greatest strength." Azula simply rolled her eyes, "Obviously it is the avatar state."

Salus was once again disappointed. "Just like your father, you over value power. The current avatar's greatest strength is his innocence. This enables him to look past the hardships that have occurred and see alliances, options that others do not. If for example I were to approach the earth king to assist in toppling your father I would be hanged simply because I am a firebender, but if I were to approach the avatar he would at least listen to what I have to say."

Azula just shrugged, she went to walk by him and head to her tent but as she walked by Salus he stuck out his foot and tripped her. Azula shocked by such a childish not to mention foolish action rose to her feet trying to maintain as much dignity as she could. "How dare you do such a thing to a member of the royal family!" Salus simply stared her down, "Princess, you are my pupil and between master and pupil there are no ranks, no status, you are simply my pupil. And I know you won't go running to daddy because if he knew you let me out of prison well we both know how he would react."

Azula glared at him, obviously torn between retreating to her tent or trying to spear his head on a pike. She obviously decided on the former as she simply huffed and walked away. Salus sighed, this was not going well. He began to walk across camp to his tent on the outskirts, as he ducked inside he saw a letter lying with the symbol of the white lotus. He found himself sighing once more, "Just barely get out of prison and already they need me."

_Salus, it gladdened us to hear that you were released. Though this does mean that we can't simply let you out of you cell and know that no one would expect you anymore. We have heard reports of a band of one of Ozai's "elite" warrior teams raiding and looting the towns to the north of where you are camped. This wouldn't have been cause for concern but they took women and children in their last raid and we fear that they will be sold as slaves. There should be ten men there unless one of them died in the last raid._

_May the lotus one day flower in peace._

Salus groaned, he would have a lot of ground to make up if he were to make it by nightfall.

* * *

As night fell on Ozai's men camp Salus couldn't believe their stupidity. They had two men on watch both having been taking down two precise blasts of flame. His true flame color was black, which gave him an immense advantage at night. As he sneaked into the camp he counted four men playing cards, three in the commanders tent and where was the last member? There he was patrolling the camp, as the guard began to approach Salus's position he slid Malinanis out of it's sheath. Any other sword he would be worried but he knew this sword, knew it's thirst for the fire nation, it's creators. As the man became parallel Salus he stuck. The sword struck quick and true, going in the joint between the front and back plates of his armor the man gave a grunt and collapsed.

One of the men looked up from the card game, "Looks like Volan is asleep on duty again, I'll wake him up." Salus couldn't believe his luck but then again if this was one of Ozai's men they were chosen for loyalty and not brains. As the man approached where Volan had been killed Salus struck once more, this kill wasn't as quick and the man fell back fully revealing the gash in his neck. _My age must be getting to me._ The men now alerted stood up, one man in the front holding a spear in his hands while his companions in the back stood with their hands in bending positions. Salus sneaked in the shadows until he came to be standing only a armslength from the man with the spear. Salus burst from his cover kicking the mans spear out of his unsteady hands, he turned and with each of his hands threw two knives at the benders the knives deadly normally were lethal since they were coated in flame as the two men collapsed Salus struck out with his right and punched the man in the neck. As he fell gasping for air Salus drew Malinanis once more and thrust it downwards into the man's body.

As he bent over and picked the body up he dragged it over to the command tent. With more effort then he thought it would take he tossed the body inside. He quickly slid into the shadows and crept to the edge of the compound. As the commanders body guards ran out, identified by their skull faced masks he stuck with two precise blasts of flame. Salus walked to the back of the tent and with but a few slices from his sword opened his own door. The commander turned to face him "What, how did you get here. Where are my men!" Salus merely advanced coolly stating "Their all dead." With that he brought his fist down on the man as he slumped to the ground.

A few hours later the man bound to a chair began to wake up. "Good for a while there I though Malinanis would go hungry." The commander simply glared at him. "Do you want to hear a story, well it's not like it matters much what you think. Seeing as I plan on telling it anyway."

**This story like all good stories, is about a beautiful woman. But you first have to understand the motivations of the man that this woman affected. This man was the son of a nobleman, second only to the fire lord and this man had a son. He was a winter born, and like many winter born he was a prodigy because as we know that any bender born in winter is more likely to grasp firebending easier. Guess it's just a way to balance out us not generating body heat.**

**Anyway this man, he was supposed to join the army and get a easy ride. Well this didn't sit well with the man, so instead he joined the army under a false name. Though this he gained his only glory and honor, and he also developed a reputation. A man who could get anything done, and would do so with no qualms. He participated in raids on the southern water tribe, put down riots in the earth kingdom. And when he returned home he found that his father instead of being angry had used this as leverage to get an even better political marriage. So the man became married, he had his wedding night with his bride and never saw her again.**

**Now the fire lord too noticed the man, he had known the man since he was a boy. He was an old friend of his eldest. And a rival of sorts to his youngest, but Azulon saw a threat. So he hired an assassin and had him sneak into his army. Then one day when fighting earth kingdom soldiers trying to protect their homes the assassin stuck. But he wasn't good enough, instead he died but the man was still injured. He lay on the field of body sure that he would die, until he saw a pair of green eyes above him and then he was lifted up.**

**He woke up later in a earth kingdom home, he knew what had occurred they must have thought that he had been a fellow earth kingdom man. That was when he noticed her, unlike his wife back home there was a beauty to her that he had never seen before. She smiled when she saw that he was up and they began to talk, he tried to avoid any questions as to where he was from. For some reason he didn't wish to lie to her. **

**After a few days he had recovered from his injuries and that night he made to leave. But as he went to close the door he hear a voice behind him "You are from the fire nation aren't you." The man could only nod, expecting the woman to scream, yell, anything but instead she took a small piece rock from her pocket and gave it to him. He had looked down at it but she simply smiled "It's for good luck, be safe." With that she walked up to him and gave him a small kiss on the lips. The man never did see her again and afraid of being caught he made his way back to camp.**

**His men seeing him cheered and when he entered his command tent he saw the latest orders. As he opened them and began to read he couldn't believe what he read. He was to wipe out the village that he had been fighting to take over for the past two weeks. He calmly handed his second in command the orders, told him to order the attack. The moment the orders left the man's hands he drew his second in command sword from his belt and stabbed him throw the chest with it. With that the killing began, any man foolish enough to run toward the village was mowed down, all those that ran the other way lived. I don't know how many men died by his hands that day but it was many, all of them friends, compatriots and he killed them because of a woman he knew for but a handful of days.**

**Needless to say when the stories of what happened began to circulate they sent the highest ranked officer to investigate. It happened to be the man's old friend the dragon of the west, they found the man sitting in his command tent, the body of his second still lying on the ground but his sword and scabbard now buckled around the man's waist. The man simply looked up and said to his old friend "Mission failed Iroh." **

"It was ruled that he couldn't take the stress so instead of death he was imprisoned. Well until now." As Salus walked in front of the man his sword at the man's neck. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way, you tell me where the people you kidnapped are and you die quickly or you don't tell me and I get to try out anything my insane mind can come up with." Salus could see the sweat coming off of the man, "Did you know that it takes only a small pinprick in certain parts of your body to cause more pain then you could ever experience in thousands of battles." The man at this began to jabber "Their in a cave to the south, please don't kill me I'll do nothing like that ever again." Salus could only shake his head in disgust but he was good to his word and in one movement beheaded the man. "You hardly deserved that let alone life."

As Salus opened the door in the cave using the keys he stole from the commander he saw nearly thirty people inside the cave. They all looked at him in fear and anger, Salus slowly bent down and placed the keys on the ground. "The men who took you from your homes are dead. You should all try and get out of here before morning." As he turned and began to walk away he heard a voice, "Wait what is your name? We would like to remember who rescued us." Salus simply replied as he continued to walk away, "I have done nothing during this war that deserved to be remembered for." With that he left.

* * *

AN: Yep I hope you like this one. Also his swords name Malinanis is Latin, Mal means bad or evil. While Inanis means void or empty.


	8. I'm so happy in the jungle

Disclaimer I do not own avatar gasp.

AN: For all readers who had previously read this story I strongly encourage going back and reading the earlier chapters. I've edited nearly every chapter (plus given how long it's been since I updated I doubt anyone remembers this story) and changed the plot in several ways.

Aside from that enjoy.

"Peace through tyranny"-Megatron (Ozai would get along great with him)

* * *

Zuko was not the happiest person in the world at the moment. Sitting next to Uncle as he begged for money was bad enough, what was worse is that his thoughts kept turning to Katara. Zuko had never really had a real friend before but he felt that Katara was one, or was the closest he was likely to get anytime soon. As he heard Uncle thanking a passerby for their generosity Zuko muttered "This is humiliating, we're royalty they should be giving us whatever we want." Uncle merely smiled replying "They will, if you ask nicely." Zuko turned his head he hated this, he hated that he had no way of getting out of it either. He wondered how the avatar and his friends managed to do this, he'd ask Katara about it sometime.

Zuko turned his attention back to Uncle he was talking to a man who Zuko assumed was probably some type of mercenary. "How about a little entertainment for a gold piece?" Zuko felt his eyes narrow "We're not performers." Iroh putting aside his hat smiling "Not professional anyway." With that Uncle began to perform his ever favorite "Girls of Ba Sing Se" but as the Merc withdrew his dao's and began to force Uncle to dance Zuko barely managed to hold back his anger. His eyes narrowing as he looked at the man he decided that this man was marked and Zuko would get revenge for this humiliation.

* * *

Katara's mind was preoccupied, her thoughts kept turning to Zuko and she didn't know why. Maybe it was because but a few days ago she knew nothing about him and suddenly here he was talking and telling her things that changed her opinion of him completely. Katara felt closer to Zuko then she had to anyone since her Mother, she wasn't sure why but Katara had a connection to the prince it was hard to describe and she found herself becoming more and more distracted by him in her waking moments.

Shaking her head she turned her attention back to the scroll she was reading. "Hey any reason we're going down?" Sokka's voice caused her to look up, as she glanced around she saw that they were indeed going down fairly quickly at that. "Anything wrong" she asked as she walked to the front of the saddle, Aang staring down at the swamp below replied "I know this is going to sound weird but I think the swamp is calling to me." Next to her Sokka said something sarcastic, but as she looked down at the swamp she could feel something a presence of some sort and she didn't like it. "I think it wants us to land there" Aang said Sokka meanwhile looked over the edge of the saddle "No offense to the swamp but I don't think there is any land there to land on" Sokka replied. "Bumi said that if I wanted to learn earth bending that I would have to wait and listen, and now that earth is talking to me should I just ignore it?"

Sokka who had joined Katara and Momo in gazing down at the swamp replied with a simple "yes." Katara who still couldn't shake her bad feeling said "I don't know there is something ominous about this place." Momo who was next to her poked his head behind the saddle while Appa bellowed, "See even Momo and Appa don't like it" Sokka said to Aang. "Alright since everybody feels so strongly about this, bye swamp." Aang gave the reigns a small snap while saying Yip Yip. Sokka who had turned around yelled "You better throw in an extra yip we have to move!" as a tornado heading straight for them. In the chaos that followed Katara only remembered grabbing Sokka's hand to keep him from being sucked away, followed by being flung at a high velocity into the swamp itself.

As Katara stood up from the fall she heard Aang ask "Where is Appa and Momo?" with that he took off up the nearest tree. Katara looked at Sokka who had started walking through the water "Sokka you have an elbow leech." Sokka quickly panicked at this "Where? Where?" When he finally stopped moving Katara merely sighed, "Where do you think" she said as she tossed an ice dagger at it. "I could have gotten it off me." Sokka sulked, Aang now swung back into the crash site. "You couldn't find them?" asked Katara, Aang shook his head "No and the tornado it just disappeared."

The rest of the day was spent trying to navigate through the swamp while at the same time trying to locate both Appa and Momo. Throughout the day Katara felt someone or something watching them, this combined with her early feelings about the swamp made her quite certain that this place was somewhere she did not want to be. _No something bad is going to happen, you knew it as soon as you looked down at the swamp. _As it began to grow dark they realized they would have to make camp for the night, Katara didn't enjoy the thought of spending the night in the swamp but at least she could ask Zuko if he knew anything about tracking. _Well he better be good at tracking otherwise we were really easy to find. _Smiling at the thought of seeing Zuko, Katara felt the unease she had felt all day lessen slightly.

* * *

When Katara did manage to fall asleep that night she was once again in the body of the mystery woman. But Katara realized something did feel different, whereas before it had been more akin to simply looking through the woman's eyes and hearing through her ears now she could feel everything. It was as if her body was Katara's and they were sharing it, Katara though still had no control over the body itself but the differences between this experience and the last one were staggering enough.

"La where were you last night? You and that demon may think you have tricked the rest of the gods but I know that you went on to the mortal plane last night. What were you two doing!" Tui's voice called down to her sister, La grimaced she had been struggling all day to try and forget the night she and Agni had together. She knew that if she allowed herself to think of it, to savor the memory she would not be able to resist the temptation to leave the spirit realm and live as a mortal permanently. _But I can't do that, but Agni must feel the same way. How are we to continue living as we had before when we could live full happy lives as mortals. But how full could such a life be when the ocean and the sun were to disappear._

"Tui, Agni and I, we..." La struggled to try to find a words to explain what had happened last night. "We experienced what it would be like to have our relationship on the mortal plane, and now sister I'm so very afraid." Her voice had nearly dropped to a whisper, but there was none of the expected rebuke from her sister instead there was a silence that made La want to scream to make it go away. "Why are you afraid La?" Tui's tone was a mirror of the one her sister had ended her sentence on, La knew why she was afraid very well and had no difficulty in telling her sister. "I'm afraid that I won't be able to resist becoming mortal permanently, even though I realize how much Agni and I are both needed I just don't care any longer. Today was the longest day I have ever lived through and tomorrow will be worse until I can bear it no longer...was our love just some curse in disguise sister?"

Tui seemed at a loss for words at what La had just told her. It was true that spirits sometimes became infatuated with the idea of living a mortal life but very few went through with it. And the idea that not one but two of the spirits that were essential to the survival of the world were thinking of just leaving their posts filled her with dread. Then a sound drifted up to Tui from the ocean below and she realized that La was crying, Tui listening to those anguished sobs knew that there was only one way to ensure the survival of the world. And she knew that even though her solution would mean that La would never see her mate again she would agree, at least now while her sense of duty was still strong. "La there is one way that you can ensure that you stay at your post, you could take up an immortal avatar something that you would be bound to. I'll go as well so that you won't be lonely, I know that it won't make up for the loss of Agni but at least it will be something." La's mind reeled at the thought, while it would indeed ensure that she would stay to her post she would never see Agni again. She knew that to even question if it was the right decision was simply selfish, she was a spirit and as such she was supposed to put the well being of her people ahead of all else but she couldn't help but to want to let go of such noble minded goals and just be with her love. "We'll have to do it tonight." La's voice was little more then a whisper but it held a terrible certainty to it. _I can't wait for tomorrow to tell Agni, I won't be able to think of never seeing him again if I wait until then. The sooner the better before I convince myself out of it. _

Tui's voice drifted down to La, "Do you have any place in mind where are bodies shall dwell?" La did indeed have a place in mind. "Yes sister I do hav-"

* * *

Katara's "dream" was interrupted when the vines that had wrapped around her began to rapidly drag her through the mists. When she finally managed to stand up she freed one of her hands by pushing on a vine until it snapped. _I really need to ask Zuko or Sokka to show me how to use a weapon _as she began to cut the remaining vines using her bending she realized that she hadn't seen Zuko that night. _Think about the prince later, not when your being attacked!_ She yelled to her roaming mind, the fight however was soon over and there didn't seem to be more vines coming so Katara looked around trying to figure out where she was.

Katara began to head deeper into the swamp hoping to La that she was heading in the right direction. "Aang, Sokka" Katara called out for what felt like the thousandth time, and just like all the other times she received no answer. As she continued through the swamp she saw a shape in the distance, "Hello, Hello can you help me" she called out to the shape in the distance. As she got closer the fog lifted and she could see that the figure was "Mom?" Katara's mind blanked as she ran towards her mother "Mom I can't believe that-" but her sentence died on her lips as she neared what she had sworn was her mother was in fact an illusion.

Overcome by how quickly her hope of seeing her mother again had been ripped from her Katara collapsed to the ground. All the pain that she had felt when her mother died, that she knew would never truly go away but had lessened over time came back with a vengeance. As she lay on the ground sobbing her thoughts turned from sorrow and began to harden, she had known that something had changed within her after the incident with the ocean spirit but this was the first time that she truly noticed the change. Now she could feel the same thirst for vengeance that she had felt from the ocean spirit in herself, _I don't care if it isn't right but I will find whoever is responsible for you death mom. _With that promise to herself Katara knew that Aang and maybe even Sokka would disagree with her, but Katara reflected she knew someone who would agree with her. _Zuko you may be the only person who knows how I feel, Aang didn't have parents and Sokka was always closest to Dad. _Katara gave one last look at the spot where she had seen her mother and began to search for Sokka and Aang again.

* * *

A.N The rest of the episode is left the same, I figured that no one wanted to simply read a print form of the episode.

As the Avatar's group prepared to leave Hugh walked up to Katara. "The banyan tree has a long memory and while it doesn't speak all that often it wanted me to give you a message. It said that it hopes that in this life you and him won't be enemies like you were the last time you were in this swamp." Katara just starred at him not understanding what he was talking about, but as she looked over his shoulder into the swamp in the distance she could see two figures battling. One a male fire bender was clothed like he was a refugee while the other a female water bender was wearing some sort of armor, it actually looked to Katara a lot like a water version of the current fire benders armor. But before she could study the strange scene further it disappeared. Taking one last glance at the swamp she swung herself on to Appa. She would be replaying that scene through her head for the rest of the day, trying to figure out what it meant and why the swamp showed it to her.

* * *

A.N Well here we are, I'm back to writing hopefully for good assuming of course that somehow I get completely put off by another series finale of the show...Ironically I saw a clip on youtube of the agni-kai fight from the finale and that is what got me to kick myself into writing this again. I still don't plan on watching it yet as I think I'll wait in case I get stuck once more with this story. Just a note I had originally planned on going through the entire episode including the vine monster fight but as I watched it I realized that Katara fought way more aggressively then she normally does in that fight. Maybe she was pissed off about that vision of her mother after all. Anyways I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I plan on trying to get one out a week, though if I go past a two week deadline just keep sending me messages till I put out a new chapter. (Trust me it will work, I know me pretty well.)


	9. Tears in Time

Disclaimer: You know what you guys know the drill.

AN: Well I had originally planned to skip this episode entirely but then I decided no more skipping, I'm striving for a remake similar in style to how Akatsuki redid gundam seed and is now redoing gundam seed destiny (good story for those of you who like gundam). Now it is a combined form of it and a large scale dream/flashback dealy (Get used to me adding y to the end of words for no reason). I'd do it myself but I don't have access to the internet during the week and I don't want to spend what little time during the weekend looking for music. And I keep on trying to make these Zuko centered chapters but he is so boring in this season until you get to Zuko alone. (What am I going to do have him mug people for an entire chapter...)

Also I feel that I did not explain what La meant when she said that she was going to take a physical form. In this story when they take a physical form (not a mortal one) it is in the form of a sacred animal or some such (like the Koi fish, or dragon etc.) so when Tui and La took a physical form they were simply becoming the Koi fish. (Sorry Revan I know you were looking forward to seeing them) Also sorry for this AN being so long.

* * *

Katara awoke to the sound of Sokka yelling at Momo about something that she was certain was important. She had slept normally that night and had not gotten any contact with Zuko, which was strange and left her feeling a little worried about the Prince. _Maybe they are traveling at night...no I don't think that is it, something hasn't felt right ever since we left the swamp but is it me causing it or could it be him? _Katara did find it weird how quickly she had gotten used to seeing the prince nightly but given that her best friend was the avatar, she had been empowered by the moon spirit, and her brother seemed to think that Momo would listen to him weirder things had happened in her life.

As she began to get out of her sleeping bag a Komodo Rhinos burst from the trees, the fire nation commander on one of the rhinos proclaimed "Give up you're completely surrounded." Katara headed for Appa along with Sokka while Aang prepared to take off, "my scrolls" Katara yelled as she remembered that she had left them on the tree stump that she had slept on the previous night. She heard Aang cry out "My staff" but Katara was already on the move, a fire nation soldier slammed his spear down next to her scroll box but Katara simply froze his spear to the stump. Grabbing the scroll box she turned around and ran for Appa.

As soon as she climbed aboard Aang soon leaped onto Appa, yelling "Yip Yip" as he landed the sky bison took off taking them away from the camp site and the rhinos. Katara and Sokka though were forced to duck from a fire blast sent at them by the commander, Sokka looking back at the camp sight suddenly cried out "wait my boomerang." Katara turned to him "There's no time" Sokka turned to face her "Oh I see" he replied "There is time to get your scrolls, and his staff but no time for my boomerang." Katara smiling a little despite herself said "That's correct."

* * *

(This is from a more general point of view, simply to tell the story of the episode without going into too much detail.)

Sokka now in a slump due to the loss of his beloved boomerang was beginning to get on Katara's nerves. _Hair loopies, I have more then just those that make me who I am. Did he forget about the whole ocean spirit thing?_ But before she was given the option to remind him of his mistake the shopkeeper that they had just bought some supplies from asked them if they were going to the Avatar day festival down in the village. Deciding that this might be the perfect way to get Sokka out of his slump they decided to go.

When they did arrive the group discovered that Avatar day was not what they had thought it was. Already with the effigies of Avatar's Kyoshi and Roku on fire the crowd turned its attention on to Aang's. Katara not wanting to watch an effigy of her friend be lit on fire, given that there was a good chance of it happening with the real thing if they didn't stop the fire nation doused the flames using water stored in nearby containers. Things progressed quickly after that with the Avatar's group learning the Kyoshi had apparently murdered the towns former leader Chin the Great, Aang not believing that Kyoshi would do such a thing agreed to follow all of their rules including paying bail. Unfortunately they didn't accept water tribe money.

* * *

"So some people don't like you big deal, there is a whole nation of firebenders who hate you. Now lets bust you out of here" Sokka said to Aang through the bars of Aang's cell. "I can't" replied the airbender, Sokka misunderstanding explained "Sure ya can a little, (insert air blowing noise), swish swish swish, AIR BENDING SLICE and we're on our way." Katara sighed, turning to Aang "I think what Master Swish is trying to say is that you're supposed to be out there saving the world and you can't do that locked up in here." Aang turned to look at Katara "I can't do that with people thinking I'm a murderer either, I need you guys to help prove my innocence." _Aang if you don't want people thinking you were a murderer in your past life what are you going to do about the fire nation in this one?_ Katara shook off the thought, her distraction though caused her to miss Sokka's reply but she did here Aang's. "That's okay Sokka for some reason I thought you were an expert detective." Katara smirked at this "Yea back home he was famous for solving the mystery of the missing seal jerky." Katara was immediately regretting her comment as Sokka launched into a lengthy tirade on how he solved the case. "So you will help me with my case?" asked Aang, "Fine but I'll need some new props" replied Sokka.

* * *

The investigation involved Katara being told to shush a lot, this became increasingly annoying as Sokka tended to be extremely over dramatic in his explanation. Well that and the fact that he somehow made a bubble pipe appear out a thin air, Katara eventually got fed up with him when they were on Kyoshi island knocking her brother unconscious though he recovered before they reached the town of Chin.

When they went to present their case to the leader of Chin they discovered that Chin Law is a very very misleading term, well that and Justice to them means just us. He explained to them that in Chin Law the prosecutor would say what happened, then the defendant would say what happened and then the prosecutor would decide who is right. Aang didn't help matters much as at the trial he forgot or got wrong most of the facts and arguments that Sokka and Katara had prepared, which forced Katara to go to the backup plan that she had thought up while they were on Kyoshi Island.

"I'd like for the court to hear one more testimony." Katara said, "I already told you it is just me and the accused, you can't call any witnesses" retorted the Chin leader. "This isn't just any witness, I'm going to call Avatar Kyoshi herself." As Katara returned to her seat Sokka leaned over "What are you doing!" Katara shrugged while explaining "well she is Aang's past life, maybe wearing her stuff will trigger something." Sokka using the magnifying glass in his hat replied "well I do believe in the power of stuff."

The Chin leader obviously not a believer in the power of stuff stood up "this is a mockery of Chin law." _There is no law here to mock_ was Katara's first thought, "Please if you give it just one more second I'm sure Kyoshi will be here." As Aang attempted to impersonate Kyoshi Katara could feel something coming, and the feeling was giving her a migraine in the back of her skull. Missing what the Chin leader said Katara gripped her head as the skies darkened, suddenly she saw that she was wearing armor exactly like what she had seen in her vision back in the swamp. Sokka looked at her and she could here him starting to say her name "Ka-" and then everything changed.

* * *

**At the same time as the trial began (but with Zuko)**

Zuko continued deeper into the forest, thinking about what Uncle had said to him. _No not just what Uncle has been saying, what I've been feeling too._ Ever since Zuko first robbed someone he hadn't felt right, he didn't know what it was that was wrong but he knew he did not have the feeling when he had attacked the mercenary. _Maybe it has something to do with what Mom said that night_ while it was a painful memory it came up enough that Zuko still wondered what her parting words had meant. _Maybe I'll ask Uncle, I'm sure he knows what is wrong but will he tell-_

Zuko's thoughts were interrupted by a sudden pain in the back of his head, Zuko leaned against a tree in an effort to keep himself on his feet. Suddenly he could see the world warp before him and then everything was different.

* * *

"Katejina? My lady are you all right." A soldier next to her asked, "Yes I'm fine, just a dizzy spell the heat after all is horrible." _But for a moment I could have sworn that I was somewhere else, never mind keep your mind on the task at hand. _"Continue soldier" she commanded with the air of only those born into power could, "Very well my lady, as you know we have eliminated most of the fire nation the rest of them having scattered save for a free bands of refugees who have been hiding with the airbenders." Katejina nodded, she knew all this she had been instrumental in the attack given that she had been close friends with the heir of the fire nation. The hope had been that their friendship would bring together the two nations, it hadn't instead it had given the water tribes an ideal way to get inside information. _Though it definitely wasn't a hardship being friends with Prince Rizen_ she smiled at the thought of the prince but it was not a happy smile. She had sworn that she would end his life, it was the only way she could start anew and get away from the memories that they had shared which were not tainted by her betrayal.

Turning her attention back to the soldier she sighed, "Soldier do you have anything useful to say or are you simply planning on telling me things I already know?" The soldier noticeably stiffened, "I'm sorry my lady if I have wasted your time." At this remark Katejina turned her cold smile on to him, "You just admitted to wasting a member of the royalties time, my father would have you hung for that but I" At this Katejina summoned water from one of the two skins she had at her side, forming an sword made of ice and turning on the soldier in one smooth motion she stabbed through the mans chest "I'll just kill you for it." (Yep shes crazy)

"My lady!" A soldier running toward her called, stepping over the body of his freshly dead comrade he turned to her. "We have found the prince, he is on the edge of the dessert and reports are that he plans to head there alone when the last of the refugees he is traveling with are in safety with the airbenders." Katejina truly smiled at this, "He wants to challenge me, very well then get me my armor." The soldier clearly puzzled given that she was wearing armor was unsure what to do. Katejina explained "Get me the armor that the Prince gave me. I intend to use every weapon I have against him in this fight."

* * *

Rizen watched as the last groups of his people were helped by airbenders on to the sky bison. "My lord you know that I think you should come with us." Rizen nodded turning to his old friend Lee (there's millions of them I tell ya) "I know but I have to face Katejina, you saw her in the swamp she is completely obsessed with killing me. If I can buy my people just a little more time then it will be worth it." It was Lee's turn to nod, "You know your sister will be really angry when she finds out that I let you go off and kill yourself, and when she gets angry she tends to shoot lightning at people well mainly me." Rizen smiled at that "Well better you then me old friend." Lee looked down at the sword at his friends side, well two swords but it looked like one "why do you still carry the weapon she gave you?"

The sword had been forged out of metal from a meteorite that had been found in the south, Katejina had the entire thing used to create the sword at his side to create a one of a kind gift. Rizen had duplicated the gift by having a unique set of armor created for her, the smith who had made her armor had known of a process to make glass as hard as any metal. The armor that Katejina possessed was the only example of his craft known as upon completion he had been killed by competitors jealous of his skills. "Because it was a gift and no matter what happened after it was given from someone who did care once, and also because she will be wearing her armor so I see no reason why I should not return the favor."

"Anyway old friend I think it is time for us to part ways." Rizen turned to embrace his oldest friend, Lee simply shook his head "come back alive you hear, then you can give me your death hug when you go and see your sister." Rizen nodded and turned to face the dessert, _Just start walking the first step will be the hardest_. With that he began to walk into the dessert and to the confrontation he knew awaited.

* * *

Katejina walked into her tent and to the trunk that lay in the corner of the room, opening it up she looked upon the gift given to her by the prince she had once considered her best friend. (The armor is basically glass armor from oblivion but blue glass and black metal instead of green) Lifting out the helmet and placing it on to her head it was a perfect fit as always, the armor also weighed next to nothing and while like any armor it did heat up but given the unique materials used in it's construction it was even at its worst in a tolerable zone. Of course she knew the dessert would be unbearable anyway so that gave her little pause. Considering whether she should summon the servants to help her get on her armor she shook away the thought. This armor was for her and no one else deserved to touch it, quickly donning the rest of the armor she picked up the cloak that lay on the bottom of the trunk. Exiting the tent she looked out at the her soldiers, a small band of elite warriors who had followed her from the beginning of the invasion. Turning to the closest soldier as they were all equal save for Katejina herself, "I'm going to face the prince on my own, I expect you all to wait for me here." The soldier obviously had more nerves then the fellow from earlier today asked "My lady what if spirits forbid the prince were to be the victor." Katejina paused then replied "If I'm not back in a week assume that the worst has happened." (A.N Her camp is a days walk to the dessert edge) The soldier nodding "But my lady how will you find him?" Katejina merely smiled "I can feel him, just as I know he can feel me. He won't try to hide anyway, he wants to finish this as much as me." With that last statement Katejina left to confront her prince.

* * *

Rizen sat at his campfire, it glowed brightly intended to attract attention. He shifted pulling his cloak tighter around himself, it had seen better days but then again so had all his clothes. He was clothed in what he had once used as training clothes but now with the addition of the cloak it was the outfit that he wore most often. "She'll be here by tomorrow" he said to himself _And then what? Can I actually kill her, I certainly can't just let her kill me..._groaning he leaned back and lay on the ground "Ah hell I'll just play it by ear."

It was slightly after midday that Katejina finally arrived at the spot Rizen had picked out to battle on. "Wearing the armor I see." Katejina smirked as she pulled her cloak off and threw it to the ground "Planning on using the gift I gave you go stab me? That's not very grateful Rizen." Rizen was already prepared having left his cloak at his campsite, drawing his swords he tried one last time to stop this fight. "Katejina please, we don't have to fight can you honestly say that you want to kill me." The smile that appeared on her face froze his blood, "yes." And with that she charged forming a single sword out of ice while summoning holding a second skin's worth of water in reserve.

Rizen charged as well his swords crossing in order to intercept the overhead strike he knew she would lead with. Katejina did not disappoint as she swung high displeasure showing on her face as he blocked her effortlessly, summoning a water whip she swiped low causing Rizen to back off lest he lose his feet. Rizen called to her "Katejina why can't things be the way they were when we were younger, what was so wrong with those days of peace?" Katejina simply laughed as she continued to force Rizen back using a combination of her sword and whip. "Peace what peace, there is no true peace simply periods of time between wars. And how can people's who are directly opposite exist peacefully as you say, the answer is they can't so the only solution is to elimination one of them in order to achieve your peace."

_You can't believe that Katejina_ but Rizen knew that she meant every word of it. "You've gone mad Katejina." Katejina simply began to cackle "I know that, and the only way to fix it is to get rid of you. When your gone I can leave my past behind, and when that is done then I can start anew without this chain that was our friendship around my neck!" Redoubling her attacks she began to attack almost recklessly, as Rizen parried her blade with one of his he ignited his second sword bringing it down and shattering the ice sword in Katejina's hand. Katejina not phased by the loss of her sword summoned the remaining water from the sword combining it with what water she had left.

Katejina now on the defense was force to give up more and more ground as she tried to fend off Rizen's sword swipes. _He's still not trying to kill me_ smirking at this knowledge she lashed out with a whip from each hand, stunned from the sudden attack Rizen managed to dodge one but the other cut a gash from his right side. _Now's my chance_ Katejina's eyes flashed as she tasted victory, pulling back her water she extended her arm and pivoted to her side to complete her waterbending motion. But all thoughts of victory died as she felt pain blossom from her side, looking down she could see Rizen's blade penetrating the metal holding together her chest armor. "Oh..." was all she could manage as she fell to the ground.

Rizen fell to his knees next to Katejina, "It shouldn't have to end this way..." Katejina her eyes already fading smiled "ya you should have been the one who died." Rizen despite the situation smiled at the comment, Katejina took a shallow breath "We weren't meant to be Rizen, we both knew that it wasn't going to be us who got the happy ending. Though I wish it had been us my dear..." Rizen watched the life leave the eyes of the woman he loved, the woman he had killed. But she was right they had both known it would end like this, and he would honor her death just as he knew she would have honored his. Leaning down he closed her eyes, then beginning to pull back he stopped and whispered "I always loved you."

* * *

Katara was jolted back to reality. _What was that, whats going on...right the trial_ Aang looked at her "So what happened" Katara realized she had no idea what had happened "Uh...Sokka?" Sokka looked at them "What the part where you were suddenly wearing armor and spaced out or where Kyoshi confessed to kill Chin?" The Chin leader dusting himself up pointed at Aang "And I find you guilty, bring out the wheel of punishment!" (Which brings up the question of why they have a wheel of punishment and do all crimes use the same wheel?)

* * *

Zuko walked into the cave that Uncle and he had been using. That vision had brought up a lot of questions but it had shown Zuko one thing that he couldn't ignore. He didn't know who he was, the man Rizen he had known who he was. His mother's words echoing in his head Zuko realized that he had forgotten who he was, "Uncle I've been thinking on what you said." Uncle who was busy packing up they're things nodded "Good good." Zuko knew that this would hurt Uncle and while he didn't want to do it he knew that he had to "Uncle I need to find my own way, I need to find out who I am. I know that you have done a lot for me, more then probably anyone else but I need to figure this out on my own."

* * *

**Read this one people.**

A.N I need some input on pairings, right now given that Toph is being introduced in the next chapter she is the most pressing. Now there are three options, one which is a request from a friend of mine (so Revan your vote doesn't count for it).

1. Toph and Sokka

2. Suki and Sokka

3. Revan's request which is to have a Toph and Sokka. The difference being that Toph is 16 instead of her normal age.

Votes will need to be in by Wednesday as of this story being posted. And it has to be in a logged in review, anonymous will not count. This means the story of course will not be started until Wednesday so the chapter may not get out till the next week, of course if that happens your likely to get two chapters then.

Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter and just if your wondering about the names, Katejina is named after Katejina Loos from victory gundam. Rizen is the name of an old character I had in a Zelda fic (which is on hiatus given that the computer it was originally on is dead and I never transferred the work). Also tell me what you prefer, the general point of view that I used for this chapter, or would you simply prefer I not bother and skip those parts like in the swamp. Don't be afraid to give some input people I don't think I'm perfect.


	10. Intro to a Bandit

AN: Note that pairings are still not decided and nothing will drastically change until we get past crossroads of destiny, the poll was merely put up to see if anyone other then revan wanted his idea put in. When we get there then I will take a new vote (and hopefully more people will chime in), personally I'm leaning toward Taang, and Sukka myself but that is just me. And check out the song Hollow by Submersed it is amazing, not as good as Unforgiven II (or III) though but still really good.

This is also just a note given that Reven brought this up. I will not be giving out a timeline, ever. So don't bother asking. And thanks to all those who left reviews, it is greatly appreciated.

* * *

"It's pricy but I really do like it." Katara groaned, shopping with Sokka was an experience like no other. She couldn't even see the reason why he wanted a new bag given that any possessions not stored on Appa could be carried without a bag. _I wonder if it is just him or would Zuko be like this too?_ At the thought of the Prince, Katara shook her head in an attempt to get rid of it. _Stupid Zuko disappearing, making me worry about him._ It had been nearly a week since the last time she had seen him, though she could have sworn she felt his presence during that strange vision.

"Then you should get it you deserve something nice." Turning to her Sokka replied "I do don't I, but no it's too expensive I shouldn't." Katara seeing where this was going said "Alright then don't" as she walked away with Aang following behind her. A man nearby noticing them whispered to get there attention, seeing that his goal was achieved he began to talk/pitch "You kids like earthbending? You like throwing rocks? Then check out Master Yu's earthbending academy." Done talking the man handed them a brochure and left. Aang flipping the brochure over "Look there's a coupon on the back, the first lesson is free." Katara figuring that maybe this was some really good luck replied "Who knows maybe this Master Yu is the earthbending teacher you've been waiting for."

When they reached the academy Katara and Sokka had to wait outside. Katara began thinking about that woman Katejina again, the similarity in the name itself was scary but Katara somehow knew that they probably looked the same too. It was too strong a feeling to call a hunch so she just decided to chock it up the the ocean spirit again, but did it mean that she had been that woman or was it something even more complex? _I wonder if there are others, Zuko might be one but it still doesn't explain the dreams._ Katara really wanted to try out some of the moves though that Katejina had used _especially the ice sword_, the same cold smirk that was gracing her face more often came up at that thought.

Her thoughts interrupted by Aang's reappearance and sudden declaration of "He's not the one." As the other students began leaving the academy Aang seemed to take interest in one of there conversations. "Excuse me but where is this earthbending tournament exactly." Aang asked while running up to the two students. "It's on the island of noneya, none of ya business!" As Sokka laughed at the ridiculously bad joke Katara felt the smirk return, maybe she would be to use that ice sword sooner then she thought. "I'll take care of this." Katara said to Aang, running after the students she called out "Hey strong guys wait up."

As she turned the corner thus getting out of site of Aang and her brother Katara opened her water skin with a single motion. The two students who had stopped walking at her call were just a few feet in front of her, hence unable to do anything to stop themselves from being frozen to the wall of the alley. "Now boys that wasn't a very nice thing that you said to my friend back there." Using whatever little water she had left to form an ice dagger she waved it menacingly in front of their eyes. "Now your going to tell me where this tournament is being held or no one will be mistaking you for boys again." For the third time today the cold smirk graced her lips as the two boys babbled out their responses.

Running back to where Aang and Sokka were smiling as she said "You ready to find your earthbending teacher? Because we're going to earth rumble 6!" Aang a little confused asked "How did you get them to tell you?" Katara smiled "Oh a girl has her ways."

* * *

Katara's slight enthusiasm was crushed as she realized that Earth Rumble 6 was simply a bunch of guys chucking rocks at each other (AN who else wanted to hear the entire Fire Nation national anthem?). So while Aang kept watch for a teacher and Sokka was Sokka, Katara let her thoughts drift in an attempt to stave off boredom. _I should get an extra water skin, like what Katejina had she may have been crazy but I could learn a lot from how she fought. _Katara would be lying if she didn't admit that she actually enjoyed combat, sure waterbending had non-combat uses but it was during a battle that she felt the most alive. She had felt this way even before they got to the northern water tribe but since they left the feeling had become magnified. _It isn't like I'm looking for a fight anyway, though I wish I had someone to spar with._ Aang didn't like sparring saying that it was too much like fighting for fun and that there should be nothing fun about fighting. _Well I guess I'm just not as perfect as the Avatar._

Her attention was dragged back to the ring when the champion turned out to be...a blind girl? _She must be younger then Aang_. "She can't really be blind, it's just part of her character right?" Aang who was staring fixated on the "Blind Bandit" replied "I think she is." Sokka apparently feeling left out chipped in "I think she is, GOING DOWN!"

From the ring "The Boulder" announced "The Boulder feels conflicted about fighting a young blind girl." Surprisingly the Bandit yelled back "Sounds to me like your scared boulder!" The boulder obviously not liking being called scared of the little girl replied "The boulder is over his conflicted feelings, now he's ready to bury you in a rockalanche!" The bandit seeming to enjoy getting a rise out of the boulder taunted him again "Whenever your ready, The pebble" at this the Bandit burst out laughing. _Oh I do not like her attitude _was the first thought that came to Katara's mind as the match began.

The match was over, well it wasn't really much of a match. The Bandit's skill reminded Katara of Azula really given how young but powerful they were. In the center of the ring now Shin Fu the announcer was offering up a hefty amount of gold for anyone who could beat the blind bandit. But given from the look on his face as Aang yelled out that he would face her Katara had a feeling that he hadn't been planning on paying out any money. Next to Katara Sokka yelled out "Go Aang avenge the boulder!" _Why is it that I always get stuck waiting next to Sokka? _

While Aang attempted to talk to the Blind Bandit she was doing her best to make the Avatar a little more flat. Katara sighed she had a feeling that things were going to get out of hand when Aang suddenly knocked the Blind Bandit out of the ring with an air blast. Shocked both her and Sokka looked at each other before bursting out into identical grins. _After all the rules were only that he had to knock her out of the ring, nothing stipulated he needed to use earthbending_ _and a little extra cash never hurts._

Unfortunately the Blind Bandit disappeared after the match before Aang could find out who she was. But Sokka seemed to enjoy himself as he took the prizes that Aang had won.

* * *

Visiting the academy the next day allowed Katara to threaten the two students from the day before again, as well as learning of the likely location of the blind bandit. Or at least as close to likely as you can get when your going off a vision. The Bei Fong estate was a huge complex but unfortunately for the Bei Fong's such a large estate made it very easy for a small group of people to sneak in. Once inside they were about to start searching for the Bandit, who found them first as they were launched into the air using earthbending.

Katara and Aang both landed on bushes while Sokka landed headfirst into the ground. _Well at least he landed on the hardest part of his body_ the Bandit meanwhile was questioning Aang "What are you doing here twinkle toes?" Aang from his spot on the bush replied "How did you know it was me?" Sokka moaned "Don't answer to twinkle toes it's not manly." Katara rolled her eyes "Your the one whose bag matches his belt." The bandit with her attention still on Aang asked "How did you find me?" Aang answered as he used airbending to lift himself "Well first a crazy king told me..." _She meant how did we find her Aang, not the reason why we're trying to find her. _Katara interrupting Aang's whirlwind account of what had happened in recent weeks "What Aang is trying to say is that he's the avatar and if he doesn't learn earthbending soon he won't be able to defeat the firelord."

Somehow not surprisingly to Katara the Bandit didn't seem very interested in helping them, summing it up with a simple "Not my problem, now get out of here or I'll call the guards." Sokka not taking that for an answer piped in "Look we all have to do our part to end this war, and yours is to teach Aang earthbending." The bandit did surprise Katara when her response was to call the guards on them, once the Avatar's group fled the grounds Aang said he had another plan to get in.

The plan was surprisingly pragmatic for Aang, though Katara couldn't help but wonder how many times they had used the "he's the avatar" line to get them out of trouble. They had simply walked up to the front door said the Avatar wished to enjoy the famed hospitality of the Bei Fongs and in they went. Though the meal could have gone better if the Toph which was he bandit's real name and Aang hadn't behaved like children. _The fate of the world is in the hands of two people who can't have a meal without attacking each other._ The thought scared Katara a little but she could only hope that they would be able to convince Toph to train Aang, though it was surprising to learn that she kept even her bending prowess a secret from her parents.

Having been given a rather spacious room Katara stretched out on one of the massive beds next to Sokka, while Aang bid Appa a good night and Momo was asleep in Sokka's bag. Toph meanwhile appeared in the doorway which caused Aang to panic and enter a airbending pose, Katara was a little impressed when Toph said "Relax, look I'm sorry about dinner lets call a truce okay?" While Aang and her went wandering into the grounds Katara decided to go to sleep, if she were honest to herself she would admit that she was worried that Zuko hadn't shown up for over a week now. _How has he become so important to quickly? What is it about that firebender._

_

* * *

_She was home again, but as she looked across the frozen landscape she knew that there was no one else here. "Where are you!" she yelled, his sudden disappearance made her upset but what made it worse was the simple fact that she was upset about it. _Every time I find someone who understands me they seem to go away, it feels just like when mom died but why?_ Katara fell down on her knees the tears that should freeze simple falling down her face, she was so consumed by her grief that she didn't even notice the person approaching until they set their hands on her shoulders. "Don't cry Katara, he isn't dead you would know trust me." Turning to face the voice Katara was stunned as she knew who this was the name coming out in a whisper "Katejina."

The woman who was dressed in the same manner that she had died in smiled "The one and only." Katara simply starred slack jawed for a few seconds before coming to her senses "How are you here? I saw you die!" At this Katejina laughed but it was different from how she had been when she fought Rizen in the dessert. "Katara I'm here because you needed some measure of comfort and you brought me forth subconsciously." Before Katara could ask how she did it Katejina held up her hand "The time isn't right for you to have the answer to questions like that, not if you don't want the mistakes of the past reoccurring." _Does she mean the attack by the fire nation, or the water tribe from her time wiping out the firebenders? _Katara decided to see what she could find out "So if I brought you forth as you said do you have the knowledge that you did?" Katejina gave a short nod "I do but Katara you should know that there is little about waterbending that I know that you don't. You are quite extraordinary especially for one so young." Katara not taking that as an answer pushed farther "So there is nothing that you could teach me?" A smirk appeared an Katejina's face "Well there is a thing or tw-"

* * *

Katara's dream conversation was interrupted by Sokka shaking her awake saying he heard something. Investigating the grounds led them to find out that Aang and Toph had been kidnapped by Shin Fu and the Boulder who were demanding five hundred gold pieces. Sokka and Katara accompanied Toph's father who brought along Master Yu for assistance, upon arriving at the arena Shin Fu after receiving his ransom set Toph free. But having discovered that Aang was the Avatar felt that he could get a very large reward from the fire nation, as Sokka and Katara prepared to fight to rescue Aang Shin Fu's whole gang of fighters showed up. _These odds might be a little unfavorable seeing as I only have the one water skin_ from his position in the cage hanging above the ring Aang yelled out for them to go.

Katara deciding that they needed backup ran to get Toph, catching up to Toph and her father quickly Katara managed to convince Toph to help. But when they reached the arena Toph declared that they were all hers, so while Toph took them all out singlehandedly Katara and Sokka went to rescue Aang whose cage now lay at the side of the Arena. As Sokka's attempt to use a rock was going nowhere fast Katara decided that it was time to try out that ice sword technique, "Sokka stand back, Aang I would suggest up get your feet away from the bottom of the cage." As Katara used all her water to form an amazingly sharp sword out of ice she heard Aang "What is she doing?" Sokka looking from the sword to the metal cage shook his head "Katara that isn't going to work" but Katara was in no mood given that she didn't get to join the fight so she ignored him swinging for the lock. The weaker metal of the lock gave way easily to the blade's edge while Sokka just stared as Katara turned her eyes glowing slightly once more "What isn't going to work Sokka?"

With Aang now free they simply sat at the side of the arena and watched Toph finish off the remaining earth rumble fighters. Returning afterwords to the Bei Fong estate Toph revealed her true self to her parents, explaining her love of both fighting and being an earthbender. Unfortunately her Father felt that this attitude resulted from her having too much freedom and ordered her to be guarded around the clock from then on. As the Avatar and his friends were escorted out Katara could see that Toph was crying.

As they prepared to leave though Toph appeared saying that her father had changed his mind and was allowing her to travel the world. After getting back at Aang and taking back her belt from Sokka the newly reinforced gang took off on Appa.

* * *

All right firstly sorry for this being late, but there was an incident and I literally just regained the ability to type (still hurts like hell) and then was down. Anyway the end bit was a little rushed yes but I hated this chapter, I love the episode but there is little I could do to change it so it feels too much like a recap. But now that I finally have all the major players in the story I can start to do some real changes (finally!). Given that I was limited to minor ones since any large change in a previous chapter would result in me having to figure out some clever way to get Toph in.


	11. Memories and Secrets

AN: Finally! the chapter I've been wanting to write since I first thought up this story. The episode itself is one of my favorites (little Azula is so deliciously conniving) plus it has the added benefit of no Aang, not that I hate the airbender I just wish he would go away. Also I would love for some suggestions for names for some OC's that are coming up, I'll put up a list at the bottom of the page for the gender, nationality and such anyway enjoy.

"Being a sentimental Virgo and all, I can't help but think that this is fate."-Graham Acre upon meeting a Gundam for a second time. (Virgos and the Flag (mobile suit) are awesome)

Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA, or any of the quotes.

* * *

Zuko was feeling miserable both physically and mentally. On the physical side of things he hadn't eaten since he and Uncle had parted ways, but it was the mental side that was truly taking its toll on him. It was like a constant throb in the back of his skull, and it just kept getting worse and worse the act of just keeping himself from screaming in pain was becoming a rather large burden. Quite suddenly with only the reaction of someone who is starving can have, he smelled food. Looking around he spotted a campfire not far off and what was cooking on it right now looked more delicious then anything he had ever had in the palace. His hand going almost unconsciously to the blade at his side Zuko began to reach his other hand for the mask in the saddlebag, that is until he noticed the people occupying the campsite below. It was a young couple, a man and his very pregnant wife from Zuko's viewpoint who in ordinary times would never be traveling in her condition _more people trying to escape the war. _Zuko drew his hand back from his sword, there were lines that he would never think of crossing and this was one. As he ordered the Ostrich Horse onward again he did notice one thing, the throbbing had gone down a little _well at least now I'll only die of starvation. _

Zuko finally reached some vestige of civilization, of course it was a single strong wind away from falling over but something is better then nothing. Upon entering town he noticed a small group of soldiers near the entrance, Zuko noticed one of the men eying him probably wagering if it was worth the small groups trouble to try to take what little valuables he thought Zuko had. Hopping off the horse near a small stall that Zuko assumed would carry feed for the animal he walked over to who he assumed ran the place. "Can I get some water, a bag of feed and something hot to eat." Zuko asked while holding out payment, the stall keep replied "Not enough here for a hot meal. I could get you two bags of feed." Noticing two kids who were crouched behind the stall, Zuko merely watched as one of them tossed an egg at the guards. As the egg impacted and the kids quickly disappeared Zuko realized what was going to happen next _Just my luck._

"HEY, you throwing eggs at us stranger?" The voice coming from behind Zuko belonged he assumed to the same soldier who had eyed him earlier "No" was all the reply Zuko gave. "You see who did throw it?" Zuko turning to face the soldier replied once again "No" which he punctuated by placing his hand on his sword. One of the other soldiers piped up "That your favorite word? No." While the original voice he Zuko assumed was the leader ignored him "Egg had to come from somewhere." Zuko turning back to the stall answered "Maybe a chicken flew over" this was rewarded by the sound of one of the soldiers laughing which was quickly silenced. As the shop owner returned with Zuko's bags of feed the leader of the soldiers pushed by taking the bags, "Thanks for your contribution, the army appreciates your support." As the soldiers began to walk away the leaders turned to face Zuko "You better leave town the penalty for staying is a lot steeper then you can afford stranger, trust me." Finished off his warning by tapping the hammers at his side twice the soldier walked off to join his compatriots.

The store owner behind Zuko said "Those soldiers are supposed to protect us from the fire nation but they're just a bunch of thugs." Zuko just began to walk over to his mount, _not worth my effort trying to fight them, plus with no money looks like I'll have to acquire some items tonight. _He didn't like the thought of stealing more but he saw no other option if he wanted to survive. As he reached his ostrich horse one of the kids from before popped up from behind it "Thanks for not ratting me out." Ignoring him Zuko simply jumped on to the horse and began to head out of town. The kid seemingly not phased by his attitude grabbed the reins "I'll take you to my house and feed your ostrich horse for ya. Come on I owe you."

As they reached the boys home Zuko was amazed by the noise which was being made by a massive amount of pigs (I didn't want to write pigcows/pigwhatever other hybrids there were). "Nobody can sneak up on us" the boy said in regards to the animals, Zuko who given his life at the palace was unfamiliar with such an environment replied "no kidding." As the kid took the horse into the barn a man approached Zuko, obviously the kid's father father he asked "You a friend of Lee's?" Lee came running out of the barn obviously excited to introduce him "This guy just stood up to the soldiers, by the end he practically had them running away!" _Well that is a little bit of an exaggeration _Zuko thought given that they had stolen from him. Lee's mother now walking up from the house asked "Does this guy have a name?" Zuko caught a little off guard, especially given that he couldn't say Lee like he normally would stumbled for an answer. But he was saved by Lee's father "He doesn't need to say who he is if he doesn't want to Sela. Anyone who can hold his own against those bully soldiers is welcome here. Those men should be ashamed to wear earth kingdom uniforms." Sela feeling that she should elaborate "The real soldiers are off fighting the war, Like Lee's big brother Sen Tzu. Supper is going to be ready soon would you like to stay?" Zuko's pride would still not let him accept charity easily replied "I can't I should be moving on." Sela obviously understanding his motivation answered "Gansu could use some help on the barn, why don't you two work for a while and then we'll eat." Zuko nodded to her proposal.

Zuko was regretting his agreement, it wasn't the work in fact the work was a nice change of pace to ride the ostrich horse it was the kid. He had been asking questions non-stop, a couple of times Zuko had to stop himself from torching him in order to get some peace and quite. "You don't seem like your from around here." Lee asked from his spot on the ladder, Zuko merely shook his head to that trying to give as little an outlet for conversation as possible. "Where are you from them?" Zuko groaned then replied "Far away" _I'm sure you'd be less hospitable if I answered the Fire Nation. _"Oh, where are you going?" This time Lee's father answered "Lee give it a rest, stop asking the man personal questions got it?" Lee sighing said "Yes" before quickly asking "So how did you get that scar." The sudden question caused Zuko to hammer his thumb instead of the nail he was aiming for. Gansu obviously feeling Lee needed to understand Zuko's silence told his son "It's not nice to bother people about things they might not want to talk about. A man's past is his business." As Zuko got back to work the comment caused his mind to wander to old memories.

* * *

Zuko was very young in this memory only around five years old, he was sulking next to the turtle duck pond having grown frustrated by Azula's taunts as he failed at producing even a basic flame. _What's wrong with me when my little sister can bend and I can't even produce a flame?_ His mother was off visiting relatives leaving him with no one to go to, well there was Uncle but he was busy talking with his father. _Maybe next time mom goes I'll ask her to take me with her, anything would be better then here._ Unaware of the person walking up behind him Zuko nearly fell into the pond as a voice broke through his reverie "My Zuko your quite a bit bigger then the last time I saw you." Zuko turning around saw that it was a man wearing the armor of a general, "Have we met before General?" Chuckling the general lowered himself next to the young prince, "You were very young, couldn't have been more then a week after you were born. Sick too I don't think that many people thought you were going to survive but then Iroh-" abruptly stopping as if remembering this was something he wasn't supposed to talk about he quickly changed the subject. "How rude of me not to introduce myself. The name is Salus, Prince Zuko. Excuse my rudeness but I grew up with your Uncle and Father and I always forgot the laws of etiquette, annoyed your father to no end to be constantly referred to by his first name." Salus started chuckling at the memory of one such occasion.

Looking at Zuko he asked "Now tell me why would a prince of the fire nation be sitting in a garden all by himself?" Zuko glumly starred down at the pool answering "It's because Azula keeps on making fun of me while I'm training. Just because she's a prodigy she thinks she is so great." Salus frowned he had heard a lot about the princess, monster tended to be the word some were using now and more would use in the future. "Sounds like her and my son would get along great, but come on prodigies aren't all that great. They just have a head start, trust me Zuko when you catch up to the princess. Which I'm sure you will, you will have a much greater appreciation for the power and talent that you will have at your disposal." Zuko looked up at the general "You mean it?" Salus smiling "I'm positive, now come on I'll show you how funny your father is when he's annoyed."

* * *

Zuko accepted the offer of Lee's family to sleep in their barn, sleeping on a pile of hay after all was better then sleeping on rock even with a bed roll. His mind tossed the memory around in his head, it was strange that he would think of that particular moment. Any more thought on the subject was interrupted upon hearing someone sneak into the barn Zuko decided to pretend he was asleep, he still had his dagger on him if anything went wrong anyway. _Probably just Lee anyway. _As the person took his sword off the wall and shut the barn door behind then when they left Zuko stood up and went to follow them.

Not surprisingly it was Lee who had taken the sword and was trying to use them to take on a field of sunflowers and a particularly bloodthirsty tree. Watching the kid butcher the art of swordsmanship for long enough Zuko said "Your holding them wrong." Lee who had been unaware of Zuko following him screamed as he fell backwards to the ground. The boy rising to his feet sheepishly held forward the blades. Zuko taking them back told Lee "Keep in mind these are dual swords, two halves of a single weapon." Zuko took a few steps back from Lee before assuming a fighting stance, as he began to go though some exercises he continued "Don't think of them as separate because they're not. They're just two different parts of the same whole." Finishing it off by decapitating one of the flowers Zuko decided to see if Lee had learned anything and let him try again. The kid didn't disappoint him and while he wasn't even at a learner level it was better then his first attempt, it even brought a small smile to Zuko's face. _I wonder if this is how a normal relationship between siblings feels? _Returning to the barn afterward Zuko had a less fitful sleep then previous nights had given him.

* * *

The morning brought with it fresh challenges though, as he prepared to leave Lee's family came out to bid him goodbye. Sela holding out a box said "This should be enough to get you through a few meals." Zuko was sparred having to make the decision of whether to accept or refuse when they saw the soldiers from the town approaching the small farm on ostrich horses. Lee's father wondering out loud said "What do you think they want?" Zuko replied "Trouble."

The soldiers stopped a small distance away from where Lee's family and Zuko were, Gansu addressed the leader of the soldiers Zuko had met the previous day "What do you want Gow?" Gow from his position on his ostrich horse replied "Just thought someone ought to tell you that your son's battalion got captured." Turning to his men Gow asked "You heard what the fire nation did with their last group of earth kingdom prisoners?" To which one of his men replied "Dressed em up in fire nation uniforms and put them on the front line, unarmed way I heard it. Then they just watched-" Gansu interrupting the soldier before he went into a description yelled at the man "You watch your mouth." Gow seeming to take offense started to urge forward his mount, until Zuko moved his ostrich horse in between Gow and Gansu. Gow deciding that it wasn't worth starting a fight over said to his men "Why bother rooting around in the mud with these pigs." With that they left, but Zuko knew the damage was already done. As he looked at Lee's family react to the news that their son very well may be dead a thought struck him. _No matter what nation your from everyone has lost loved ones to this war, Lu Ten, Mom they're just as much casualties as this families son._

Lee who hadn't or didn't want to understand what the soldiers had meant asked "Whats going to happen to my brother?" Gansu obviously needing more then those soldiers words to believe that his son was gone said "I'm going to the front, I'm going to find Sen Tzu and bring him back." With that he led a crying Sela back into their house, Lee unsure of what was going to happen ran up to Zuko and asked "When my dad goes will you stay?" Zuko reaching for the knife at his belt answered "No, I need to move on." Holding out the knife to Lee he said "Here I want you to have this. Read the inscription." Lee pulling the knife free from it's sheath read aloud "Made in earth kingdom." _Why does everyone read that one?_ Zuko groaned "The other one." Lee turning the blade over said "Never give up without a fight." With that Zuko left, but his mind like before wandered to older memories.

* * *

It was a few weeks after he had talked with Salus by the turtleduck pond, but like before Zuko was sitting next to the body of water but this time he was in the company of his mother. "Mom when is the war going to be over?" Ursa a little surprised looked down at her son "What brings up a question like that Zuko?" Zuko looking at the pool of water didn't answer right away, in fact he appeared to be lost in thought. Ursa frowned these moments came from time to time, and they always reminded her of the steps she had taken to ensure that her son survived. The boy coming out of his daze simply looked down at his hands and mumbled "No reason." Ursa not taking that for an answer though decided to see if she could find out, wrapping her arms around Zuko she told him "You don't have to worry about me laughing, and I promise I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to." Zuko looked up at her and asked "You promise?" Ursa laughed "Of course." But Zuko still needing more reassurance continued "Not even Dad." At this Ursa didn't laugh, normally Zuko always tried to please his Father so if he didn't want him to find out then he knew that his Father wouldn't like his reasons. "Not ever your Father."

Zuko seemingly appeased said in a quiet voice, "If the war ends them maybe I can finally have a real friend." Ursa hugged Zuko a little tighter, it wasn't that there were no other noble children for him to be friends with. In fact Zuko had shown once in a while that he could get along with the other children but Ursa could tell that Zuko was acting the part of the happy child, in fact Ursa had only seen Zuko open up to a handful of people other then herself. Knowing that it was unlikely the war would be ending soon she asked "Why can't you have a real friend here?" Zuko still looking down at his hands glumly replied "Because we're royalty, all the kids here know that and it just feels so fake. They don't treat me like a real person Mom, more like some fragile object that can shatter if you touch it or forget to say Prince every time you talk it." _Oh Zuko you just want to be a normal child. _But Zuko wasn't finished as he continued "If the war ended then we wouldn't have to stay in the fire nation all the time, we could go and visit other countries and the kids wouldn't have to know that we're royalty." Ursa's curiosity now piqued asked "And where would you want to go first?" Zuko looked at the pool contemplating the question before declaring "The water tribes." A frown quickly fell upon Ursa's face and her eyes were filled with worry but Ursa quickly erased it from her face, "Come on Zuko lets go see your Uncle before he has to go on campaign again."

* * *

Zuko was lying in a field not far from the town, having not been able to concentrate with the memory playing through his head. _What was it about my answer that troubled you so much._ Zuko had never told anyone but her his wish. W_ell I guess it did come true in the end, that is if it was real I haven't seen her __in over a week maybe it was just an elaborate dream. _Zuko wasn't sure why but he didn't want to believe that, he wanted, no needed for Katara to have been real because despite how he acted all his life the absence of any friends had taken it's toll on him. Further thoughts were interrupted by the sound of an approaching ostrich horse pulling what sounded to be a cart. Moving to an upright position he saw that it was Sela, as she reigned in the horse she yelled to Zuko "You have to help, it's Lee the thugs from town came back as soon as Gansu left. When they ordered us to give them food Lee pulled a knife on them, I don't even know where he got a knife. Then they took him away they said if he's old enough to fight he's old enough to join the army, I know we barely know you but." Unable to continue she burst into sobs. Zuko standing up told her "I'll get your son back."

As Zuko entered town he could see the soldiers had tied Lee up to the water tower in the center of the town. Lee upon seeing Zuko exclaimed "See, I told you that he'd come!" The soldiers who had been lying underneath the shade provided by the tower stood up to confront Zuko. Zuko dismounted his horse and put his hat on the saddle turned to face the soldiers arranged in the middle of the road leading to Lee. Zuko's eyes narrowing as he calmly demanded "Let the kid go." Gow began laughing at this "Who do you think you are? Telling us what to do" Zuko merely replied "It doesn't matter who I am but I know who you are. Your not soldiers your bullies, freeloaders abusing your power mostly over women and kids. You don't want Lee in your army, your just sick cowards messing with a family that's already lost one son to the war." Gow turning to the closest of his men said "Are you just going to stand there and let this stranger stand there insult you like this."

The man taking his cue charged Zuko with his spear, but he was no match for Zuko who sidestepped the attempt to skewer him and drawing out his sword hit the man in the head with the pommel before re-sheathing the blade. As that soldier fled another one charged forward, this one aimed high which Zuko simply knocked aside before grabbing the man's head and throwing him to the ground. This man like his compatriot fled quickly not being used to being stood up to let alone being beaten. A third soldier had begun his charge before the second was even defeated was completely unprepared when Zuko simply kicked his spear shattering the brittle wood, the man starring at the remains of his weapon fled like the rest of his companions. _And now it's just me and Gow._

As Gow drew both his hammers Zuko likewise drew both his swords, what Zuko hadn't been prepared for was Gow being an earthbender. Using the hammer to propel a chunk of rock at Zuko, Zuko responded by slashing and successfully shattering the projectile. _I didn't think that would work _but congratulations were not in order as Gow continued with his offensive. Sending much larger rocks now Zuko was barely deflecting them away from his head, but was unable to stop one from slamming directly into his stomach. Ignoring the pain Zuko charged forward in an attempt to take control of the pace of the battle, his charge however was ended as another barrage of rocks came flying with yet another one hitting him in the stomach. _All right that one did hurt_ Zuko now pushed on the defensive had all his attention focused on not letting a single rock though his guard, unfortunately this caused him to miss Gow's latest attack which resulted in a large spire of rock coming out of the ground and striking him in the chest. As Zuko was flying through the air his only thought was _I can't die here, not like this and not to someone like him_. As his head struck the ground a memory he had long since blocked came to the surface.

* * *

It wasn't long after the talk he had with his mother next to the turtleduck pond, but they weren't at the palace instead they were at his grandmother's. Zuko was happily looking out at the ocean from the house while Azula complained "This is boring." Zuko didn't care though he liked his grandmother's, the place was calming somehow plus it meant that he wasn't under pressure to produce flame. _Well that isn't true, Dad keeps on mentioning that I can't every chance he gets._ Zuko had a feeling that his Father was trying to get him angry but he didn't know why. _What does anger have to do with firebending anyway? Uncle Iroh always says it's about breathing or something like that._ Zuko's attention was drawn away from the scene of the ocean however when he heard raised voices coming from a room further inside the house Azula now wandering on the house's porch was unaware. As Zuko continued further into the house towards the source of the noise he realized that it was his father's voice. His pace quickening he quickly found the room and without any real thought given to it he shoved it open.

He took in the scene before his eyes with a speed unnatural for a child his age, his father was holding a box waving it while yelling "Would you care to explain this!" With that he tossed the box to a corner of the room opposite from where Zuko stood, Ursa standing in front of him trying to calm down her husband was speaking quietly but it sounded like "Ozai just let me explain." But Ozai was not in a mood it seemed to listen to an explanation instead Zuko saw his arm tense and could almost swear he could feel the heat beginning to build. _He's going to hit mom! _At the moment Zuko's one and only thought and purpose was to protect her, acting on instinct he could feel for the first time fire bend to his will as a blast launched from his hand. The flame the went soaring through the air to strike Ozai in the chest was not the normal orange color, but instead the flame that hit his sire was a pure white. Ozai stunned by the sudden attack didn't even react as the flames began to burn his clothes, Ursa however gathered her wits at a faster pace and quickly found something which to douse the flames with.

Ozai now in full control of his sense looked to discover his attacker was none other then his son. But perhaps more frightening then the anger Zuko was expecting was the smile that lit upon his Father's face, walking briskly over to Zuko he put his arms on Zuko's shoulders. "Congratulations Zuko I'm proud of you."

* * *

And while there was little to tie that memory to the events that were happening right now Zuko realized there was one thing. He was here to protect Lee from people like this Gow, at that thought he could feel something change but he couldn't describe it. As Gow went to deliver the finishing blow Zuko lashed out at the earthbender with a wave of fire, and just like in his memory the flames burned white. The blast having knocked the earthbender off his feet and depriving him off his hammers also gave Zuko time to get to his feet. Gow however adopted a bending stance, the man seemingly determined to fight even without his weapons. However as he raised a shield to protect himself he had no inkling of Zuko's power, as the next blast that Zuko sent at him blew through the shield and sent Gow flying into a building partially burying him. As the earthbender struggled to look up he asked "Who are you?" Zuko merely sheathed his swords "It doesn't matter who I am, I'm a person who protects others and that is all that matters."

Seeing that Gow had stolen the knife he had given Lee he bent down and recovered the blade. Walking over to where Sela was untying her son he was a little hurt when she placed herself in front of him. "Not a step closer" she told him, Zuko stopped moving but held out the knife to Lee "It's yours, you should have it." Lee from behind his mother yelled "No, I hate you!" As Zuko watched Sela lead her son away he sighed, _how different would this have played out if I hadn't been forced to bend?_ Deciding to contemplate this later he walked over to his horse, seeing no point in sticking around and provoking another fight with the entire town. _Mom is this what you meant by never forget who you are?_

_

* * *

_Iroh sighed, he had been following Zuko ever since he left and given the events that had just occurred he was beginning to think that his efforts to spare Zuko from the fate Iroh had been warned of were all for naught. But he knew that he would continue to try and stop it from happening, he had sworn to Ursa that he would try and protect her son and he would not give up now. _If only he didn't seen so motivated to bring it about..._

_

* * *

_Hooray I finally got to do one of the chapters I've been dying to do, and more good news people next week is my last week of my summer job. Which means that I have two weeks afterwords to basically sit around and do nothing but read, game and write. Anyways this chapter was lots of fun to write, and yes there is a retcon given that I said he was two or three back in chapter four but it isn't a big change. Anyways next week I owe Revan a story so that is getting priority, but when I do finish that up I'm not sure if I'm doing an interlude or The Chase. Have to see what way the wind is blowing I guess. Oh and the flashback from Ursa's perspective is not knowledge that Zuko knows, I did it that way because well it just came out that way...(ya bad explanation but it's how I work).

Anyway I need a names for the following OC's, I'm asking because I need avatar(y) sounding names and I'm horrible at it.

-Female Earthbender

-Male Dai Li member

-Two Male Firebenders

-Female Waterbender (Ice is her specialization)

And this is officially the longest chapter to date. Word wise that is, due to how I wrote this one it actually looks shorter then chapter four. Anyways if you have any comments, suggestions or thanks feel free to review.


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